


When You Wish Upon A Star

by ProngsVineduel



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Dad AU, M/M, Wholesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27952100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProngsVineduel/pseuds/ProngsVineduel
Summary: A single dad Roman AU with lots of character bonding based on the web series The Sanders Sides by Thomas "the best person ever" Sanders.AU is based on this Tumblr post. Please send @donttellthemangoesiwashere some love!!!!:https://donttellthemangosiwashere.tumblr.com/post/188017342428/click-for-just-incredibly-better-quality-i-seeLots of Creativitwins because we need more of thatPlenty of Momceit is observableAnd of course, fanon ships:PrinxietyLogicalityDemusAnd RemileWARNING: This story will be under constant editing and contain MUCH ANGST so be wary of both.There is no real way to describe this story, if I come up with a good one maybe I'll edit this description.It's up to you to find out ;D~Prongs💙
Relationships: Logicality, Prinxiety, Remile, demus - Relationship
Comments: 18
Kudos: 27





	1. Once Upon A Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU by @donttellthemangoesiwashere on Tumblr. GO FOLLOW THEM!!!!!!  
> A/N: Italics (so words like this) mean the character is speaking in another language. For this fic it'll most likely be languages like Spanish, Greek, and Italian. Edit: There are no italics on Ao3 TvT
> 
> Song for this chapter: "Fuck You" by Lily Allen
> 
> Enjoy!

1.

It all started on the day Roman saw his brother, Remus, cry for the first time.

It was dinnertime for the Castillo family, a group of two perfect parents and two twin boys. As always, the conversation was carried about in a boisterous manner.

Mr. Castillo had just made a joke that didn't really make sense but was still funny for some unthinkable reason. The most rebellious of the two brothers recovered from the fit of laughter first and cleared his throat nervously.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you guys know I can't go to dinner with the Jones family on Friday." Remus said, looking down at his food. Ceviche, a family favorite.

Mrs. Castillo put her fork down and looked at her son in dismay, "Ay, hijo, what for? You know the Jones' are a very important family. How are you ever going to find a good wife like this?"

Remus opened his mouth to explain, wringing his hands in his lap. Roman, who sat next to him, saw this and raised an eyebrow.

"It's true!" Mr. Castillo said and clapped Roman on the shoulder, startling him out of his confusion. "You should be more like your brother. Now this boy we don't have to worry about."

Roman beamed at his father and Remus seemed to sink a little in his chair. He cleared his throat again. "Well, I've kinda got a date on Friday so I really can't go."

At this, Roman choked on his drink and the whole family froze, looking at Remus.

"A...date?" His mother whispered, her face full of shock. Mr. Castillo wore a similar expression.

Remus grinned, "Yeah."

After a beat the Castillo parents smile widely at their son, moving across the table to hug him. "Oh, cariño, I can't believe it!" His mother shouted happily.

Mr.Castillo ruffled his hair, "Well done, son! Who's the lucky girl?"

His mother loosened her grasp, jumping in excitement, "Oh, oh! I bet it was that girl from the Christmas party, Felicity Stevens, was it? You two seemed to be awfully friendly that night. She's such a good girl, and from a wealthy family too, oh mijo I'm so proud of you!"

Remus welcomed his family's joy at first, spying Roman's look of dismay over his parent's shoulder. Then he heard the word "girl" come out of his father's mouth and the dread in his stomach returned.

Carefully, he removed his mother's arms from around his shoulders. "Uh, actually, about that.... Mamá, Papá, I have something to tell you..."

Smiles shrinking a bit, the Castillo parents sat back down in their chairs. Mrs. Castillo had a slight crease of concern between her eyebrows, "What's wrong, bebé?"

Roman watched his brother look up and make eye contact with their parents. And somewhere in the back of his mind something clicked. The blood drained from his face as a wave of pure terror consumed him. The kitchen seemed to grow colder as Roman caught his brother's eye. They sat, staring for a moment until the moment broken by Remus.

He took a deep breath.

And with a few words he was free.

~~~~

Now, before there were tense dinners and spilled secrets there were two twin brothers. Roman and Remus, as you've most likely guessed.

And at some point in time, though it didn't last long, the brother's parents deemed them too young to attend rich societal parties. The type of which they would be forced to go to consistently later on in life.

So instead of conversing with wealthy, young prospective brides, Roman and Remus were left with a babysitter: Doña Lupe. Being an old woman, Doña Lupe fell asleep quite easily, therefore leaving the children free to stay up watching Disney movies.

But even though this happened many times, one night stood out from the others. Making itself a beacon with the discovery of a shared secret.

The two boys were about seven or eight years old, sitting in front of the TV in their comfortably large living room. Doña Lupe was already completely wiped out and snoring in a kitchen chair.

Roman glanced at the old woman and giggled, "Yeah, she's gone for the night. There's no way she's getting up now."

His brother grinned at him, looking up from a box full of Disney movies next to the TV set. "I've got water balloons and a stereo from Christmas, wanna test that theory?"

"Remus!" Roman gasped playfully, holding a hand to his chest. "How could you even suggest maltreating our beloved wolf mother! It's not the princely way!"

Ever since the twins had learned that "Lupus" was "wolf" in Latin, they'd given Doña Lupe a secret nickname. See, Doña Lupe wasn't a particularly bad person, she was just fairly strict and protective.

The first time she'd witnessed one of the twins' brutal slap-fights the old woman had nearly had a fit, grabbing them both by their ears and hauling them off to bed. Of course, she fell asleep ten minutes later, but you get the idea of why the boys compared her to a growling wolf mother.

Remus cackled at his brother's comment and then held up two movies, "So, tonight we have two worthy titles. Tell me, brother: "The Little Mermaid" or "Aladdin"?"

Scoffing, Roman pulled a Harry Potter blanket around himself. "Aladdin, duh. It is by far the superior movie."

Remus swiped away a fake tear, "You really are my brother. Though I have to tell ya, that chef and Sebastian scene is better than anything "Aladdin" has."

Roman sat up suddenly, "How dare you compare that scene to the masterpiece of "Aladdin"! You just like it because Sebastian sees all the dead sea animals and that's funny to you for some reason!"

The other boy grinned wider at his brother's ruffled feathers. "What can I say, I like the gorey, gross and morbid."

Roman sighed, "Just put in the movie." Remus laughed and gave in, turning to insert the DVD. Behind him he heard his twin grumble under his breath, "And it would've been cooler if you'd said "The gorey, gross and gruesome.""

The movie started playing and the boys sat in anything but silence, making critical comments and jokes, singing along to the songs and pointing out details they hadn't noticed the several other times they'd watched the same film.

By the time they reached "A Whole New World" Roman was red from laughter and in a cocoon of blankets, pillows strewn all around the room. The boy lay on his side watching Aladdin hold out a hand and ask Princess Jasmine "Do you trust me?"

Roman heard Remus sigh next to him, "Aladdin is so pretty. Not as pretty as Prince Eric, but still!"

Roman looked at his brother in confusion. "What d'you mean?"

"Aw, c'mon Rom! Don't tell me you wouldn't die to go on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin."

"Like...on a date?"

Remus was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Yeah. It would be a date, I guess." He perked up, "Why? Do you want to date Aladdin?" Remus seemed to get excited at the last inquiry. Then he gasped and leaned forward to smile at his brother, "Do you want to kiss him???"

Roman thought about it, tilting his head to the side nervously, "Um..."

After a moment, Remus backed off, looking at the screen. "I would do it. I would marry Aladdin and then we would live happily ever after after with Abu and a super cool flying carpet!" His eyes seemed to glitter as he pictured his very own fairy tale.

Roman thought about it and then gazed at Aladdin. He was watching fireworks with Jasmine, smiling brightly as he held the girl of his dreams in his arms. Roman let himself imagine Aladdin looking at him like that, like he was the greatest wonder of the world.

The boy blushed, "Yeah, I wouldn't mind kissing him. Or dating him. Or marrying him. He's..." Roman studied Aladdin's profile and blushed deeper, "Really handsome..."

Remus looked at his brother in surprise and then smirked, ruffling Roman's hair and making him squeak in protest, "Find yourself another hot Prince, Aladdin is mine."

Roman shoved his laughing twin away and unwillingly grinned as well, "No way! And, wouldn't you prefer Prince Eric? Now, he has some lovely blue eyes. Or that creepy chef?" Remus took on a look of disgust and Roman burst out laughing, ""Ah, yes, my dear Remus, come eat my undercooked lobster. Caught fresh and begging for mercy.""

That's when Roman was hit square in the face with a pillow from the couch. He blinked and then wriggled out of his blankets, "Oh, it is ON."

Unfortunately, their pillow fight to the death was interrupted by Doña Lupe who apparently wasn't as deep a sleeper as they thought. Simply put, they got a decent scolding and were sent to bed immediately after. But that's not the point.

The point is, they both learned something new about themselves that night. A part of their identity. Something that would change the whole course of their lives forever.

The twin brothers were both extremely gay.

~~~

[Flashback Over]

Roman sat on his bed staring at the door across the room. A few years back he had pleaded for his own place. So his parent's had remodeled to have a wall between the twins, connected only by the very door Roman now bore a hole in with his intense gaze.

He felt numb and still, like he had found a pirate's treasure only to discover it was full of chocolate coins. But at least in that situation you still had chocolate. All Roman was left with now was an empty feeling in his chest that seemed to ache more and more with each passing second.

The scene of that night's dinner fiasco played over and over again in his mind, drowning out the sound of his mother's sobbing in the next room.

He envisioned the horrified and disappointed looks of his parents.

Mrs. Castillo's hysterical crying, begging for forgiveness from God for her son's sins in between wails of despair.

Mr. Castillo's look of rage, face full of creases and sharp angles as it scrunched up in disgust. His harsh words that felt like indirect jabs to his gut.

"I didn't raise you this way!"

"You're disgusting!"

"You've destroyed this family's reputation because you couldn't even try to be normal!"

Roman had trembled in his seat, eyes glued to his parents. After a second he'd looked over to see Remus standing before them, tense and grimacing.

Remus caught his brother's eye and his expression seemed to plead for support. An ally. Anyone at all to be on his side.

This time, though, it was Roman who broke his gaze and he seemed to sink into his chair as he did so. There was none of that sparkle and glow around him. He didn't appear princely like he usually did.

No. Roman looked like he was chained to something you couldn't see. He looked entirely powerless.

Remus stared in shock and felt something he'd never felt towards his twin brother, his best friend.

Betrayal.

The more rebellious twin's face hardened and his fists clenched. "Stop! Just stop!" He yelled at the top of his voice.

Mr and Mrs. Castillo paused, growing still as they stared at their son. Remus's had gone deadly quiet and bitter. "Can't you just accept me for who I am? I didn't choose to be this way, I just am. And I don't see anything wrong with it. There are easy solutions to any problem you might have with it! Wan't grandkids? I can adopt and give an orphan child a loving home! It's against the Church? Well guess what, there are a bunch of LGBTQIA+-friendly Churches! Even the Pope is okay with it! I don't understand how you guys can be so ignorant and go from loving me to seeing me as a disappointment in less than a minute just because of my fucking sexuality!"

Remus was breathing heavily by the end of his rant as he glared fiercely at his parents.

Now this is the part of the story you might think would go differently. One of our main characters gives a daring and brave speech from the heart, expressing themselves and inspiring others with their words.

The mood would change, maybe Roman would free himself and come out too. The brothers would stand together and then their parents would see they were hurting those they loved. "We were wrong." They would say, "We're going to try and understand because we love you."

Then the Castillo family would embrace, there would be tears of relief and regret, but also tears of joy. And for a moment, everything in the world would be okay.

Unfortunately, life is often different from the happily ever after we all yearn for. People build walls in their mind to block out anything they have deemed wrong or impossible to understand. Most humans don't even try to adapt and grow their understanding but instead stay comfortably within their prejudiced mental prison.

So even when Remus spilled his soul out before his parents, speaking with facts and evidence. Even addressing and validating their concerns, the Castillo parents didn't waver. Remus might as well been talking to a brick wall.

Instead, Mr. Castillo's face hardened. He put an arm around his wife who watched her son with an unidentifiable expression on her face. "Get out." he'd said sternly.

All of Remus's confidence had evaporated, "W-what?"

"You heard me. Now."

Remus looked at his father in disbelief. Then his gaze shifted to his mother and Roman. "Seriously? You guys are kicking me out?"

The two avoided his eyes and said nothing.

Tears sprung to Remus's eyes and he just stood there crying for a moment before Mr. Castillo stepped forward and pushed him forcefully towards the door way. "Out! Before I call the police!" His eyes were lit with anger which frightened Remus, even at fifteen years old. The boy felt his breathing grow difficult. "Get away from my family!"

Remus swallowed his fear and forced himself to run from the room, grabbing his phone and the backpack he'd used when sneaking out at night. Pulling on a coat, he'd opened the door and left without looking back, slamming it shut behind him.

Now, in the aftermath, Roman sat in his room, feeling lonelier than he ever had before. Because now his twin brother wasn't an open door away. He was gone.

No more Disney movie nights. No more twin fencing practice. No more shameless joking. No more of Remus's creepy midnight dissection projects. No more forcing each other to watch horror movies or musicals. No more of each other.

The Castillo family had a reputation to uphold so it was obvious Remus would never be allowed to return. Roman was now an only child, something he had wished for many times in the past.

So what was this chasm in his chest? This winding rope around his heart, bleeding it dry? This tightening around his throat that felt like an invisible noose.

It was hours later before Roman figured it out, sitting alone in the darkness in the very same position. He knew this feeling. Though he'd never acknowledged it until now.

This extra weight on his bones that seemed to drag him six feet under.

Roman Castillo felt hopeless.

And with this realization, the remaining Castillo twin lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. Only a few moments later, he began to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I started with a sad one aaaahhh-
> 
> Now I'm sad :(
> 
> But not really because yay, the first chapter of my Sanders Sides fic is out!!!
> 
> I already have a general storyline for this fic so I'll try to post every one or two weeks depending on what I've got going on.
> 
> The chapters will go like this:
> 
> "Once Upon a Time" chapters: The backstories of the adult characters (Roman, Remus, etc.)
> 
> "Then" chapters: Patton and Logan's backstories (kinda?) And the adventures they had when Patton and Logan were little. (Plus how they all met.)
> 
> "Now" chapters: Main plotline that takes place when Logan and Patton are 15+.
> 
> So that's just a little explanation, I'm happy to answer any non-spoiler questions too :)
> 
> Anywho,
> 
> DON'T DIE, KIDDOS.
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	2. Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Just a disclaimer
> 
> *enter Unus Annus disclaimer song heere*
> 
> This chapter takes place around five years after the first chapter so be aware that there have been some developments you guys don't know about yet. Let's begin!

2.)

"Half an hour, I can't believe it." Roman Castillo muttered in disbelief.

He walked along the city streets, staring at his phone and still in his apron from work. His hair was messy, sweat dotting his forehead from walking at such a fast pace.

Roman briskly tapped his phone a few times before holding it up to is ear and keeping it in place pressed against his shoulder. He used his hands to untie the apron as the dial tone rung.

It didn't take long for someone to answer, an amused voice speaking from the other end, "Well if it isn't my favorite brother! How've you been since you left?"

The man threw the apron over his shoulder and took the phone in his hand, "Remus, I only moved out a week ago and it's barely four blocks away. C'mon bro, I'm supposed to be the dramatic one."

There was a cackling laughter on the other end that made the slightly frustrated man grin just the tiniest bit. "Ok ok, seriously though Rem, shut up. I need your help. Patton's still with you, right?"

"Nah, I gave him a sippy cup of bleach and let him loose in a bear cave for some good old fashioned fun!"

"Remus."

"Yeah, yeah, of course he's still with me. It's been too long since I've hung out with my nephew, haven't let him outta my sight!"

Roman rolled his eyes, "You saw him two days ago."

"Exactly! Too fuckin' long!" Remus replied. There was some light giggling in the background and Roman's eyes narrowed, smiling.

"I know those giggles. Remus, are you swearing around my son?"

There was a quiet "shit!" Then some whispering before Remus said, "Whaaaaat, noooooo. I think something crawled into your ear and died bro, you're definitely hearing things."

"Oh yeah?" Roman had a full smile now, his frustration a fleeting memory. Putting on the cheery voice he usually used to talk to his son, Roman said, "Are you there, mi principé?"

The giggles sounded again, this time louder as Patton spoke into the phone, "Hi Papí!"

Remus let out a disappointed groan, "Patton, you blew our cover!"

Roman laughed then glanced at his watch and remembered why he had called his brother. "Hey tadpole, go play. I gotta talk to your Tío for a sec, alright?"

"Ok! Bye Papí!" Patton said happily, his voice fading as he got further away from the phone.

There was a pause before Remus spoke again, "The little target is now secure and playing with his terrifyingly vast assortment of stuffed animals. What's up, bro?"

Roman sighed heavily, "The boss held me later than I expected so I haven't bought Patton's gift yet. I've got exactly half an hour to get to the other side of the city and get back to the apartment in time for the party."

"What!?" There was a shuffling sound as Remus sat up, "Roman, why didn't you just ask to get off early? Who wouldn't understand having to leave early to get your kid's birthday present last minute?"

"My boss. I've told you he's an asshole, Remus. And I couldn't argue and risk getting fired, I needed today's paycheck to actually buy the gift, remember?" Roman grimaced, remembering his boss's raised eyebrow and cold order to work later. He angrily dug around his pockets for his subway card, walking down the stairs into a crowd of people just getting out of work.

"That bastard. I swear, one day when you don't need the job I'm gonna twist that guy's head off." Remus growled into the phone.

Roman snorted, "You can stick to the murder but I'd totally join you if I didn't have a son to support." A woman next to him on the subway gave him a strange look and he quickly changed the subject, "Anyway. I called because I need you to stall him and the party for at least another half hour. Tell Jan about the change of plans and take him out for ice cream, or to the park, or to get candy. Anything to buy me some more time."

"You want me to take Patton out or Jan?"

Roman rolled his eyes, "I know you would be okay with either but now is not the time to take action on your hopeless crush. Just keep Patton busy until I get back, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, ok. I got it." Remus said, exasperated. A beat later he mumbled, "And it's not hopeless..."

Roman softened and leaned against the metal pole on the subway, already expirienced enough not to lose his balance. "Alright, it's not hopeless. Janus is a good guy, you two would be great together."

There was a light chuckle and some thudding footsteps as Remus got up and walked to the door, "Don't go all sappy on me bro, but thanks."

"See you in an hour, if you succeed." Roman said, smiling.

"Don't worry, I will. Bye Ro." There was a clicking sound as the other twin hung up and Roman put away his phone.

The man sighed heavily and shut his eyes. Work had been hard that day since he'd had to power through the morning rush of a popular coffee shop. All he wanted to do was head straight home to his son and relax.

But because of his stupid boss he was now in yet another stressful situation. Figures.

The subway came to halt and Roman perked up, rushing out as soon as the doors opened. He had to go quickly to avoid being a even more late.

That's when he spotted the old man, hunched over and struggling to carry several heavy grocery bags into the departing subway. Roman froze, one hand on the stair's railing.

After a second of internal battle he reluctantly let go and ran over to help the man. "Excuse me, sir? Would you like some help with that?"

The old man looked up at Roman who was sporting a small, kind smile. He smiled back, "That would be very helpful, thank you young man."

"Of course!"

As quickly as possible, Roman grabbed most of the bags and placed them inside the subway next to where the man sat moments later. He slicked back his hair and gave a quick goodbye to the old man who gladly returned it.

Full-on sprinting now, Roman went up the stairs and crossed the street to the small pet shop there.

Slamming the door open, Roman entered the establishment, panting. He looked up to see everyone staring at him. Smiling sheepishly he walked over to the dog kennel.

There was only one other person there, looking at what was inside the kennel. Roman looked down and fought the urge to screech at the cuteness.

Among a litter of beagles there were two brown Yorkies, a Shitzu with a bow in its hair, an extremely energetic Labrador and a sleeping Dalmatian.

But there was one dog that caught his eye even with all the other choices. A fluffy St. Bernard puppy that seemed confused but happy even in the midst of all the chaos around it. And whenever one of the other puppies tried to play with it they would be happy to oblige, wagging their tail at a surprising speed.

Somehow the puppy reminded Roman of someone.

Suddenly there was a loud sniff next to him. Roman glanced over and realized that it came from the person next to him, a man his age about a head shorter in a black and purple patchwork hoodie with matching purple hair.

He was hugging himself and clearly trying not to cry, instead glaring menacingly at the floor of the kennel.

Roman watched him for a moment before shaking his head and turning away. He didn't have time, besides, he'd already done his good deed for that day.

But...

Something made him turn back. Biting his lip, he reached out and tapped the man on the shoulder.

And all at once that piercing glare was directed at him. "What?" The man snapped.

"Are you...ok?"

"What's it to you?"

Roman raised an eyebrow. He'd encountered defensive people before but never like this. There was a clear edge to the man's voice when he spoke, like every word was the parry of a sword. "Well, in my experience, most people don't start crying when they see puppies."

The man narrowed his eyes before looking away, "Well, then you've clearly never met any people with dog allergies."

Roman grinned and leaned against the short glass wall of the kennel. So he was working with salt, was he? "Oh, so is that it? A dog allergy?"

A tear escaped the man's eye and he started blinking quickly, turning so Roman couldn't see his face and sniffing.

Grin faltering, Roman straightened again. "Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry! I just wanted to help. Honest!" He held up his hands to show he meant no harm.

The man furiously wiped away his years, smearing his hands with eyeshadow. "Who said it was your job to help every stranger you find crying in a pet store? What are you, some knight in shining armor or something?"

Roman smirked, "I would say more of a daring Prince, actually."

Looking up in surprise, the man stared at Roman and then, to both of their surprise, let out a short burst of exasperated laughter. "You just won't quit, will you?"

Shaking his head, Roman held out a hand, "Roman."

After a beat, the man took it with a small wary smile, "Virgil."

Tilting his head in confusion, Roman smirked, "Interesting name, 'Virgil'."

Virgil shrugged, "My dad apparently had a thing for 'Dante's Inferno'."

The two studied each other before turning back to the dogs, a comfortable silence between them. After a while, Roman glanced over again, "So, you gonna tell me what's wrong?"

Shifting nervously, Virgil avoided eye contact. He paused and seemed to steel himself, looking up to meet Roman's gently curious gaze. "It's...my brother."

When the man didn't continue, Roman grew concerned, "Is he sick?"

"I dunno, maybe?" Virgil bit his lip, "Ever since my mom...passed away a few months ago, he's been different. Less emotional."

Roman's brow furrowed, "I'm sorry about your mother." He hesitated, "And...I'm no expert...but isn't it normal for children to become depressed when their mothers die?"

Virgil laughed bitterly, running his hand through his purple hair, messing it up even more than it already was, "That's just it, it's not depression. I would know." He mumbled the last phrase under his breath and then pursed his lips before continuing, "No, Logan's more...robotic. He's far too cold and analytical for a five year old kid.

"He's started preschool in the city but even though its been months Logan hasn't made a single friend, not even an acquaintance! I feel like a hypocrite every time I try to cheer him up but, ugh-!" Virgil whirled around to look at Roman with a distressed expression, "Is he not telling me the truth or am I really so incompetent that I can't even help my little brother maintain a normal enough emotional state to make one, single goddamn friend?!"

Roman gaped at the man, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of information. But before he could respond, Virgil's face fell and he looked away, embarrassed. He laughed, but it was hollow, "And here I am, spilling my problems to stranger I met literally a minute ago. I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's completely alright!" Roman said quickly and Virgil jumped a bit at the sudden outburst, "I was just astounded how one person could be under so much pressure and an equal amount of self doubt and anxiety. That explains the intense emo style, now that I think about it." Roman desperately hoped his attempt to lighten the mood wasn't taken the wrong way.

Thankfully, it wasn't. Virgil blinked and raised an eyebrow, looking impressed, "Well didn't you just read me like a book? That would be nerve wracking if it weren't so damn impressive, Princey."

"Princey?"

"You've been nicknamed, there's no turning back now."

Roman snorted and the two shared a smile. After another comfortable silence, Roman once again engaged the purple-haired man in conversation, "You still haven't explained why you were crying in the middle of a pet store."

Virgil groaned, burying his head in his arms which were crossed on top of the glass kennel. He eventually peered over his arms into said kennel before answering, "I figured if Logan couldn't get a human friend I would get him the next best thing, he's always been fascinated by animals." He buried his face again, "It was an impulsive idea, though. It wasn't until I got here that I remembered my apartment doesn't allow pets. My own desperation just kinda scared me, I guess so..." Roman saw Virgil's shoulders tense a bit, "I broke down."

This time, the silence was heavy, "Oh." Roman said.

"Yeah."

Something stirred inside Roman's chest as he observed the other man's thin frame, hunched over and defensive. He was not a stranger to wanting to help people, in fact, he had been told several times by loved ones that he helped too much. But what he felt towards Virgil was different, more compelling than his usual instinctively helpful nature. Not only did he want to help Virgil but he wanted to get closer to him, a man he had met barely met a half an hour before.

"Hey, I'm...not sure if it'll help at all but...my son's birthday party is today at 2. He's around your brother's age, turning five today, actually. If you want...you guys could come by? It'll only be my son and a few family friends." Roman said, choosing his words carefully. He felt nervous for some reason he couldn't quite identify.

Virgil stared at him, wide eyed, "...Really?"

Roman nodded, smiling his most charming smile, "Of course!"

The shorter man opened his mouth to say something (possibly to accept the invitation) but hesitated, face falling slightly, "I'm not sure...how do I know Logan won't get along with your son and mess up the party? Like I've explained, he's not that great with other kids."

Chuckling fondly, Roman reassured Virgil, "Don't worry about that. My Patton loves people, I'm pretty sure not even a tornado could ruin this party for him. He always gets super excited on his birthday."

Virgil considered this for a moment and then smiled at Roman, "Okay...I guess it wouldn't hurt. Thanks Roman." The earnest tone with which he said the last statement made Roman blush.

"N-no problem!" he replied, trying not to let his blush show, "I could, uh, text you the details."

Raising and eyebrow playfully, Virgil smirked, "Is this your way of asking for my number?"

Returning the look, Roman offered a teasing scoff, "You wish, My Chemically Imbalanced Romance."

"Emo themed nickname, nice."

The two exchanged numbers and, while the other wasn't looking, changed each other's names in Contacts to 'Princey👑' and 'Emo Nightmare🌩'.

When they finished Virgil glanced at the top right corner of his phone and frowned, "Um, did you say your son's party was at 2?"

"Yeah, why?"

He looked up at Roman, amused and slightly anxious, "It's...it's 1:34."

Eyes widening, Roman looked down at his watch to confirm that it was indeed 1:34. Again, he had half an hour (less than, this time) to buy the present, rush back home and set up the party. The overwhelming fact settled into a mild defeat, Roman sighed, "I'll just have to be fashionably late, I suppose."

Virgil grinned, "Can't relate. I gotta go pick up Logan but I should be right on time."

The other man sensed the teasing tone and relaxed slightly, "Well of course you couldn't relate. How could you be fashionably late in a distasteful hoodie like that? " Roman shot back.

Virgil narrowed his eyes, "Ooh, I'll get you for that." He picked up a leather satchel off the floor that Roman hadn't noticed until just then and gave him a wry smile, "See you later, Princey."

"I'll be counting the seconds, Sunshine." he responded fondly.

And with that the two parted ways, one out the door and the other to buy an extremely kind and extremely confused St. Bernard puppy. Both with their mind still on the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> AND THE SECOND CHAPTER IS DONE!
> 
> And it is...so much longer than the first one😅😅
> 
> The third chapter and last introduction chapter will be posted by Tuesday next week! After that, if I'm done with general plot planning and have a determined length for the story, there will be weekly posts on Sundays of every week.
> 
> See you all soon, guys :))))
> 
> DON'T DIE!!!!
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	3. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Another disclaimer! This is in the future past when Remus got kicked out and past when Roman and Virgil first met. This takes place when Logan and Patton are both 13/14. The actual "present" time is when they're 17 but we're not there yet. Still, this chapter is important to kick off the plot.  
> Enjoy!!!

3.)

The day that marked a turning point in Patton Castillo's life started out as a normal class field trip to the city aquarium.

Patton had been looking forward to the trip for months. He'd never been to the aquarium before since his Papí couldn't exactly pay the entrance and lunch fee without putting a big dent in what the would eat for the following two weeks.

But this year was different, after an unexpected promotion Patton had been informed of the good news. And now, he was practically jumping with excitement.

"Today's the day!" He yelled enthusiastically, spreading his arms above his head as he burst into his classroom.

His friend, Kayla, snorted, "You mean you're actually excited to go to this boring-ass aquarium? We've been every year, it's really nothing special, Pat."

Sam, another friend, nodded as Patton sat next to him on the couch his home room teacher let them sit on during class. "It's just fancy-looking fish and a bunch of water."

Patton raised an eyebrow at Kayla, "Language, kiddo." He then turned his attention back to the group which consisted of Sam, Kayla, another boy named Jeffery, a girl named Lilliana and a few others Patton didn't know that well but still hung out with as a group. "And I've never gone before so I, for one, can't wait to see all the fancy-looking fish! I heard they have beluga whales!"

Kayla rolled her eyes, "Ok dad." She leaned against her desk which was the closest one to the couch, "I'm just saying; it's good you didn't go to the other trips, at least you get the 'new experience' pizzazz. Being poor saved you, man."

The group laughed and Patton laughed along with them, even though he could feel his face heating up significantly. He'd read somewhere that laughing with people made being laughed at less hurtful. That's what he kept telling himself. The weight in his chest was just exhaustion, right?

He didn't say anything else after that, settling into his usual routine of smiling and listening to his friends chatter on and on about nothing in particular. Patton enjoyed just being in their presence.

But today he felt someone's eyes on him. Patton looked around for whoever might be watching him before spotting Logan Moretti, his family friend since childhood, in the doorway, staring. Catching his eye, Patton smiled warmly and waved. Logan nodded back and then left, hurrying down the hallway to his classroom.

Confused, Patton turned back to his friends. But all the while he was waiting to board the buses he couldn't stop wondering;

What in the world was that all about?

~~~~

"Sam, Sam look!!!!" Patton was practically bouncing as he raced around the aquarium, "Turtles! And look, Angelfish!!! It says they have a sea lion show at 1, can we go see it? Oh. My. Cookies. THEY DO HAVE BELUGA WHALES!!!!"

Kayla laughed at Patton's antics, "You're adorable, just like a little kid!"

The rest of the group laughed as well but Patton was too busy gaping at every exhibition in the main building to notice their patronizing tone.

They walked around for a bit, just looking at the animals inside their tanks. Kayla made many snide comments about how ridiculous they looked or how boring they were. Liliana, another girl in the group was always the first to echo her laughter, the rest following not much later. Patton laughed along as well but every time he did, he felt his excitement melt away just a bit.

But only barely.

After the group of friends convinced Patton that the sea lion show wasn't worth it, they journeyed to the linked building filled with more interactive exhibits. And that's when Patton saw it.

He froze and stared, wide eyed at the sting ray tank. "GUYS!" his friends turned around and he pointed, "Lets go there, we can pet sting rays!"

Kayla raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. Then a new expression dawned on her face and she grinned slyly, "Nah, we've already done that before. You go ahead, though, we'll wait for you in the jellyfish room."

Patton frowned slightly, "...Are you sure?"

"Yeah, totally!" Kayla flashed him a smile, "Go have fun!"

Something felt wrong to Patton but even so, he trusted his friends. After a moment he smiled back and bid them farewell, running to the stingray tank in fierce anticipation.

He listened to a lady who worked there explain how to respect the animal's habitat and survival instincts. She informed them that the rays were safe and would not sting them but that it was important to not try to grab or pick them up. When she finished, Patton was allowed to go up to the tank and actually touch the creatures.

To his surprise, the stingrays were absolutely adorable. They resembled underwater puppies, happily swimming closer to the surface so as to get pet more and fighting for the people's attention. Patton was beaming by the time he left.

"They're so cute!" he said to the lady on his way out and she laughed, smiling back at him.

Feeling like his excitement and good humor was fully restored, Patton went in search of his friends, entering a darkly lit room intended for glowing jellyfish only.

Patton looked at the glittering creatures in awe, admiring how beautiful they looked in the dark water. Almost like moving stars.

He looked away, intending to spot his friends and gush over the jellyfish with them. Certainly they couldn't find glowing animals boring, right?

That's when he became aware of the fact that there were only four other people in the room. Patton's friends were nowhere to be seen.

His pulse quickened, No, that can't be right, he thought. Exiting the room, Patton looked around the main floor for his friends, entering rooms and running up stairs; trying to spot Sam's green baseball cap or Liliana's long, blonde ponytail. After a while he checked the other building as well to no avail.

Close to tears, Patton went back to the stingray tank which was now mostly empty. He didn't understand, where could his friends have gone? They said they would wait for him.

Just then, he felt his phone buzz. Patton pulled it out of his pocket, it was a text from his dad.

Papí 2:43pm

Todo bien?

Patton sniffed, taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his baby blue sweater before answering:

Príncipe 2:44pm

Yeah, everything's ok :)

Quickly putting his phone away before he could see his dad's answer, Patton buried his face in his hands. He felt a few tears escape and bit his lip until it bled to try and make himself stop. He felt terrified and lost in the large aquarium. And oh, so completely alone.

"Did you know Myliobatoidei are closely related to sharks?"

Patton froze at the sudden voice and looked up, quickly wiping his eyes again. Logan stood next to him, looking into the tank about three feet away.

"L-Logan? What are you doing here?" he sniffed, still trying to cover up his small breakdown by stiffening his voice to keep the lump in his throat in place.

The other boy shrugged, adjusting his dark blue scarf and expertly avoiding eye contact. "It's not every day I get to pet 'stingrays'. I rather enjoy it, they are interesting creatures."

Patton tilted his head to the side, letting his hands drop to the edge of the tank. "You...don't find them...boring?"

Logan looked at him for the first time since they began to speak with a confused expression, "By no means."

The two fell silent, neither in the mood to speak. Since he was looking away, Patton didn't see Logan glance over at him with an expression of concern.

"Where are your companions?"

Patton winced at the question but covered it up quickly with a wavering smile, "They said they would meet me in the jellyfish room but I couldn't find them, I must've taken too long. Maybe they were looking for me while I was looking for them." He laughed at the thought of such an unlikely and humorous situation.

But when he looked over at Logan, the other boy was not laughing along. In fact, he looked almost suspicious. Patton quickly broke eye contact, still maintaining his plastered on smile, "Uh, did-did you see the jellyfish exhibit? It was really pretty, wasn't it?" he stuttered, changing the subject.

Logan allowed him to, nodding, "I've always found bioluminesence very fascinating; a chemical reaction that causes a creature or plant to glow in order to attract prey or mates. And I must agree with you," there was the ghost of a smile on his lips, "the result is rather lovely."

Patton watched in awe. In all the time he'd known Logan, the dignified boy had rarely smiled. But now that he did, Patton observed there was a gentle beauty to the muted expression of joy. A treasured rarity that glowed in its absence.

Feeling a newly instilled sense of calm in Logan's presence, Patton pulled up his sleeves and reached into the tank to stroke one of the ray's smooth back. After a moment he glanced at Logan, who was petting a ray of his own. "You said they were related to sharks?"

Logan nodded again, fixing his glasses, "The two species lack bones, instead having skeletons made almost entirely of flexible cartilage."

"You mean the stuff that makes up our noses?" Patton actually pointed to his nose while saying this.

Logan chuckled, surprising Patton again with visible emotion, "Yes, precisely."

"Woah." The boy in the blue sweater returned his gaze to the ray he was caressing, "I would never have guessed an animal so cute could be related to...well......a shark."

"It's like one of the Italian proverbs my brother is so fond of; Non è tutto oro quel che luccica." Logan stared at the florescent light reflected on the surface of the tank, "'All that glitters is not gold'. Or, to put it simply, 'not everything is as it appears'." He pointedly caught Patton's eye, "I've found through observation that this applies to people as well."

Patton felt the hair on his arms stand up as he considered what Logan was trying to tell him. But, he found that every cell in his body seemed to reject the obvious message. "How is Virgil? I haven't seen him in a while." he deflected, struggling to keep his voice level.

"He's alright," Logan responded flatly. He glanced down at his watch and stood up straight, turning away from the tank. Now it was his turn to change the subject, "It's five minutes to when we must rejoin our peers for lunch in the courtyard. Would you like to walk there together?"

After a beat, Patton gave Logan what felt like his first genuine smile in some time, "I would love to."

~~~~

When the two arrived at the courtyard Patton spotted his friends at a table in the corner, joking and laughing like he'd never even left. He stopped in his tracks, staring at them from across the yard.

Swallowing with some difficulty, he turned to say goodbye to Logan who was watching the table as well. "I...I guess I found my friends. Um...I'll see you at dinner next week with Virgil, right?"

Logan looked at Patton and seemed to study his expression for a second before answering, "That's correct. Goodbye for now, Patton."

Patton gave him a tight smile, "Bye Lo-" but the other boy was already walking away before he could finish.

Staring after him, Patton felt like he was making the wrong choice by letting him leave. But that was ridiculous. He'd asked Logan to sit with he and his friends before but the offer had been quickly declined.

So why did the parting feel so bittersweet?

Shaking the thought from his mind, Patton walked over to his friends. Liliana seemed to spot him coming and whispered something to the others. As he retrieved his lunch from a teacher on the way, Patton worked to ignore the heavy weight on his chest that seemed to increase with each step.

"Hey, guys! I'm glad I finally found you." Patton said, taking his seat and paying no attention to the silence that had settled over the table like an icy blanket of snow. "I was beginning to think you'd left me behind," he forced out a short laugh at the last comment.

After a beat, Kayla joined in, the rest of the group following. "Nah, Pat. You took quite a while in the tank so we decided to move on from the glow-y jellyfish. They become dull after a while, though." The other group members murmured in agreement, "Anyway, by the time we were going to go get you, we couldn't 'cause then we would've been late for lunch and you know how Mrs. Q is about deadlines."

Patton pursed his lips as he listened to the excuse. While the others laughed at Kayla's comment on their teacher he mumbled, "They're bioluminescent."

"What?"

"They're not 'glow-y' they're bioluminescent." Patton repeated, staring at his hands that rested on his lap.

His friends grew silent once more, staring at him. Kayla looked confused and slightly embarrassed at being corrected. When the others looked at her she grinned nervously and raised her eyebrows, as if sharing an inside joke, "Okaaaaaayyy..."

And just like that, the group turned their attention completely away from Patton, instead starting to talk about the latest gossip. But this time, the chatter didn't feel welcome. It felt like a locked door with him on the other side. Like a piece of coal doused in glittering, golden paint.

Papí 2:45pm

Ok, te amo hijo. Have a fun day with your friends ;-)💗

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> Phew!
> 
> Well that was a rough one, wasn't it folks?
> 
> Chapters will begin to be released consistently (or as consistently as possible 😅) on Sundays hopefully next week or the week after that. We're not exactly done with exposition but the plot will begin to take form in the next 3-6 chapters.
> 
> But until then,
> 
> DON'T DIE
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	4. Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 
> 
> Welcome back to please-help-me-I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-even-though-I-planned-this-story The Musical!!!!!
> 
> As promised, here is your first Sunday (Monday 😅) update! Depending on my weekly amount of stress and existential dread it will hopefully continue like this. OR we might even have two updates a weekend >:))))
> 
> BUT, only time will tell.
> 
> Now on with the story!

4.)

As a highly intelligent boy named Logan Moretti can tell you, there is a certain amount of hours per day that a person can work before they hit a limit. Working any more hours beyond this eight hour a day limit would be considered working "overtime" according to The Fair Labor Standards Act. Therefore, working seventeen hours a day is the act of an abused laborer.

Unfortunately, most people are not as well aware of this fact as Logan is. Namely, our own beloved Roman Castillo.

It was a cold December night, nearing one AM when Roman finally arrived from work with heavy bags under his eyes and enough exhaustion to pull an Aang and sleep for a hundred years.

He dug around his satchel for the spare key to Remus' apartment and unlocked the door. The icy wind fought to enter with him but he slammed the door in its face, using the last strength left in his tired muscles.

He sighed and rested against the door for a moment, staring into the small hallway. The walls had peeling strips of wallpaper dangling in curls and a worn vintage carpet along the floor. Stuck to the door of Remus' apartment was a sign:

The stains are not blood I promise.  
[P.S Or are they? ;)]

Roman huffed out a laugh before kicking off his shoes and shrugging off the heavy army jacket his brother had let him borrow so he didn't freeze to death. Though he wasn't dead, the jacket had been more of a fashion accessory (one that was definitely not his style) than something to keep him warm, leaving Roman shivering and numb.

In the living room, a gas heater was working just as hard as Roman had been doing all day, pulsing out waves of heat that Roman welcomed gratefully. The tired man noted with surprise a dim glow coming from his brother's room. But before investigating why the hell his brother had a light on at one AM, Roman had to do something of great importance.

Walking over and opening the door furthest from the entrance, he was greeted with the sight of his four year old son, Patton, sleeping soundly in a bed with fluffy, pastel blue sheets and clutching a small rag doll. Roman immediately felt the weight on his shoulders lighten slightly and smiled wearily.

Carefully, he walked over to where his son slept and kissed his forehead, "I'm home, mijo." he whispered. Patton stirred slightly in his sleep, hugging the doll tighter and burying his face in its black, yarn hair.

Roman felt his heart swell and found himself beaming at his adorable offspring. Equally as careful, Roman navigated a treacherous path around Lego constructions, tea sets (with kettles and cups full of lemonade instead of tea), and what looked like the setup of a giant board game made out of scrap cardboard.

The man grinned at his son's creations for a second before feeling a pang of guilt that he couldn't play with him as much as before. He took a deep breath, glancing back at the bed one last time before exiting the room, leaving the door slightly open just how Patton liked it.

He stood outside the room and then cut his eyes over to Remus' room, squinting.

"Remus?" Roman said, peeking his head inside.

His brother sat on the floor, leaning against the foot of his bed. Beside him was Janus Dolion, his best friend and Mysterious Roommate™, looking bored at the movie playing on Remus' TV and snacking on a large bag of dark chocolate almonds.

"Here. And yes, I still have all my limbs." Remus said nonchalantly, he grinned at Roman when he looked in, his teeth stained with chocolate, "So does Janus."

Roman grimaced at the chocolaty smile, "A shocking achievement, but that's good, I guess..." He quickly averted his eyes before walking into the room and collapsing on Remus' bed, groaning into the comforter.

Remus watched his twin then rolled his eyes and turned around, crossing his arms over the wooden part of the bed and resting his chin on them, "Goddamn, was work really that bad?"

"Oh, certainly not, Remus. Haven't you heard? Working seventeen hours is nothing but a pleasant and enjoyable experience." Janus said, acting exasperated even though his voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Shut it Dr. Decietful, I don't need your attitude right now." Roman said, voice muffled from having his face buried in the sheets.

Remus snorted, "Alright," He poked his brother sharply in the ribs, making him yelp, "What's up your ass, drama queen?"

Roman glared for a second then sighed heavily, leaning back on his arms and looking away. Remus shared a look with Janus, who had his eyebrows raised but apart from that looked completely neutral.

"At work today...well...there was this woman." He pursed his lips, "She was a total Karen, to be honest. And she was being uncomfortably flirty so...I told her to stop because, uh...y'know...it's sexual harassment and...because...well, I'm...."

"Because you're gay." Remus finished, sounding as gentle as Remus could sound and making Roman flinch.

"Y-yeah, um I'm," he took a breath, "Gay." Despite living with Remus for three weeks, Roman was still unaccustomed to talking openly about his sexuality. Remus had been making a habit out of encouraging Roman to do so. But the more dramatic twin wasn't always sure he appreciated it, still sure that even miles away, his parents would hear him.

Clearing his throat, Roman continued, "Anyway...she got offended I guess? So she called my manager and he yelled at me in front of the...the entire store to satisfy her and then made me clean the floors even though my job is as a fucking cashier." He was trembling again but this time with anger, clutching the comforter beneath him and holding back a few tears. Turning away, Roman laughed dryly, "I love attention and preforming but being humiliated in front of someone I hate isn't exactly what I had in mind."

Remus glared at the wall, "I'm going to gut that your boss like a fish, decapitate that lady and then stuff her body inside your boss' skin."

Roman stared at Remus in shock for a moment before letting out a burst of laughter that ended with a half-sob. "You haven't changed at all."

"How dare you," Remus said, smirking, "I like to think I've gotten worse."

"I think I could back you up on that." Roman replied with a grin. But it faltered a second later, "Did you get your schedule for the next semester today?"

Remus' eyes widened slightly, "Uhhhh..."

"Yes." Janus replied flatly. He looked at Remus, who was giving him an expression that conveyed obvious panic. His roommate's eyes flashed strangely as his gaze drifted back to Roman. The corner of his mouth lifted. "No need to lie to him."

Roman felt himself sag. "Shit. How busy is it?"

Remus looked guilty, "Completely booked. Studying to be a surgeon is hard and I'm not a freshman anymore."

"What am I gonna do about Patton?" The sentence was uttered in an empty, panicked voice, "I can't take him to work with me and a daycare isn't something I can afford right now. I'll be damned if I ever let him stay home alone. So what am I going to do?" Roman was pacing the room now.

"What about his mother?" Janus asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Roman froze and turned, giving Janus an icy look, "I'm not giving my son to someone who can't even be bothered to pay child support. Or even care enough to reach out and have a relationship with a the kid she gave birth to!" His voice was now a low growl and Janus' usually expressionless face was littered with surprise.

Roman felt a hand on his shoulder and saw that Remus was there, looking uncharacteristically somber. "Roman..."

The other twin took a deep breath and sat down again, burying his face in his hands, "I'm sorry, it isn't your fault, I'm so sorry." He mumbled and Remus sat next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"How did everything change so quickly?" Roman asked after a moment. "We were fine and then..."

Remus shook his head, "Roman we were not fine. Patton was not fine. Nothing was okay it just seemed that way."

"That rhymes..."

"Ro."

The distressed twin sighed, "It was easier at least."

"Easier isn't always better." Remus insisted.

"Yeah, I know. I know." Roman rubbed his eyes.

There was a heavy silence as the twins racked their brains for a solution. But every option was unfortunately inaccessible. Roman was completely broke and Remus, being a student, barely paid his and Janus' shared rent. So daycares and babysitters were out of the question.

Patton was in Roman's custody only because his mother didn't want him, but it was still a possibility they could take him away due to Roman's unfortunate financial crisis. This fact that haunted the man even in his sleep. Patton was all he had left, he was his prince and his kingdom all at once. He couldn't lose him.

He couldn't.

So as Roman pondered options in his brother's room at one in the morning after working for seventeen hours, he felt a sense of resolve tighten inside of him. But with the lack of solutions, dread began to overlap his determination.

That was, until he heard a voice say in a falsely neutral tone, "I can do it."

Roman and Remus simultaneously looked at Janus who immediately reacted negatively to the attention by tensing up. "W-what?" Roman stuttered.

"I can take care of Patton. I got most of my credits for this year last semester so I've only got like, four classes. Which I find an insult to my intelligence since they are outstandingly simple." Janus said, avoiding eye contact and speaking in his usual smooth, nonchalant voice.

"Really?" Roman was starting to feel small blossoms of hope forming. And oh, how he wished he could allow them to grow. But Roman had been let down before, he had to be sure before he hoped.

Remus had a strange look on his face, like he was seeing Janus in a whole new light. "Are you sure, Jan? I-I mean, I thought you didn't like kids?"

"Lies and slander. I'm perfectly neutral about children. And Patton seems...manageable." Janus replied. He studied his nails with an air of sass (a ridiculous action, really, since they were covered in their usual yellow gloves).

There was quiet and then Roman launched himself off the bed and dropped down onto the floor, grabbing a surprised Janus' hands. His eyes seemed to glitter in the blue light of the TV, "Thank you so much, that would be fantastic! When I'm rich and famous you can have anything you want. I swear. I-I just...Thank you!" He stuttered out.

Janus' eyes were wide and shocked as he stared at the thankful man before him. He pulled his hands back and turned away, but not before Roman caught a glimpse of a genuine, amused smile. "I'll hold you to that promise."

Suddenly the door to the bedroom was slammed open and everyone whipped their head around to see a man in shades and a leather jacket standing there. The man grinned and pulled a bottle of wine out from behind his back, "I BROUGHT WINE BITCHES. Let's get this pity party started!"

The three shushed him all at once, making him jump slightly. "Jeez, did you guys rehearse that?"

Roman rolled his eyes, but he was obviously fighting a smile, "Patton's asleep, keep it down."

"Shit, sorry." The man grimaced and then tip-toed into the room, shutting the door behind him.

Remus reached under his bed and pulled out some wine glasses. When Roman gave him a look Janus shook his head, "Don't question it."

"Too bad the party started without you, Remy," Remus said, grabbing the bottle and yanking the cork out with his teeth.

Roman tilted his head, "How did you even know about it, anyways?"

"Jan shot me a text. You've got this annoying thing were you don't ask for help or comfort so I got backup." Remy finger gunned at Janus who rolled his eyes. "By the way..." he narrowed his eyes at Roman's position before Janus, hands still reached out, "Did I miss a palm reading session orrrr...?"

Roman blushed and pulled away his hands as well, "No. But..." He beamed, "Janus volunteered to take care of Patton while I'm working. One more problem solved!"

"Looks like this pity party just turned into a celebration. I can get into that," Remy said, smirking. He turned to Roman then, his face betraying just the slightest bit of concern, "What happened, though? Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Roman bit his lip, "I-I'm not entrely sure if I am..."

There was a quiet creak and Roman stopped in his tracks, looking to see Patton in all his two-foot-glory at the bedroom door, rubbing an eye sleepily. Turns out Remy sucks at closing doors. "Papá?" Patton said through a yawn. He spotted his father and his face broke into a smile, "You're home!"

He launched himself into Roman's arms and Roman laughed, hugging his son gently. "Hello mí principé. What are you doing up? You should be sleeping."

"I heard Tío Remy and wanted to say hi!" Patton explained. He then turned and beamed at Remy, giving him a small wave from his father's lap, "Hi!!!"

Remy ruffled the small boy's head, "Hey, kid. Like those frog pajamas, I wish they made them in my size."

Patton's smile fell, "We can find some! I'm sure we can, there has to be!"

Roman chuckled, absentmindedly playing with his son's hair, "English with Tío Remy, cariño."

"Oh!" Patton smiled, giggling at himself, "I feel silly!" 

Remus smirked, "Don't, you have the advantage of being bilingual."

Janus nodded and said with a slight English accent, "That's true."

The man in shades twirled around and folded his arms, frustrated, "Am I the only one who doesn't know Spanish?!"

Janus shrugged, smirking slyly, "I just picked it up over time. I also speak Greek." 

Everyone blinked at him and his smirk grew. "I have the high ground now. Bow to me, peasants."

Roman snorted, "I shall never bow, I am a prince." With this, he shot a knowing look at Remus.

His twin's eyes sparked with recognition at their childhood code names and he grinned back, "And I'm a duke. Looks like we're in a room full of royalty."

"Royalty that eats frozen dinners," Roman replied jokingly. But there was a sad undertone that Patton noticed instantly. 

"Papí, are you okay?" He asked softly, as if to protect him from the inevitable attention of the others.

Roman stared into his Patton's light blue eyes, the very ones that had needed glasses at such a young age and his heart sunk. If only he could spend more time with him. If only he didn't have to work to stay afloat. If only he could give Patton the life he deserved.

Every inch of his skin was crawling in self-expectation and disappointment. Roman was sure if he opened his mouth he would start apologizing. He thought of how Patton's expression had looked the day his mother left. The day it all ended.

Patton didn't deserve that. Any of it.

So instead of saying how he felt, Roman forced a painful smile, "Yeah. Come on, I'll put you to bed. It's late." He got up, Patton still in his arms, walking out the door.

Because he wasn't facing them, Roman didn't see his friends exchange a collective look of concern. Neither did he see Remus drain his glass of wine in one gulp.

When he was gone there was a deathly silence in the room. The silence was finally broken by none other than Janus, "He was lying."

Remy rolled his eyes behind his shades, "No shit Sherlock." He sighed, then he copied Remus and drank his wine to the last drop, Janus following in the action not a moment later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 
> 
> Not my best I admit. BUT I will do better next week, I promise you guys :)
> 
> I've been in a pretty lonely mental state recently and it really made itself known this week what with me starting school and soccer. I'm doing okay, though, thanks to you all! So lets hope there's no delay next weekend.
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	5. Meanwhile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey guys 😅  
> Sooo...guess who hasn't finished the story chapter again?  
> That's right,  
> *jazz hands* This train wreck of a person right heere!  
> BUT I HAVE A SOLUTION!  
> Introducing: "Meanwhile" chapters!   
> These chapters will be small cute scenes that can have happened at any point before the //real// Now chapters where Logan and Patton are 16/17.   
> They will mostly be one shots to help stimulate my creative whimsy but also gifts to you guys for not making a real chapter on time.  
> So enjoy this first one!!!!

0.)

The first thing Janus noticed when he walked into Roman's apartment was the powdery, white baking flour all over the carpet.

After living with Remus for four years, this didn't exactly strike him as odd or concerning in any way. So instead of freaking out like any normal babysitter, Janus calmly set down his canvas satchel and made his way to the kitchen.

"Patton? Are you in here?" He asked.

His question was answered with the sound of pans falling on the floor and a joyful voice shouting, "Tío Jan!"

Janus smirked as Patton attacked him with a bear hug around his torso (the small boy couldn't reach any higher). But of course, he hugged back, patting Patton's head, "My, have you grown taller since I last saw you?"

Patton looked up at his Tío with an expression of excitement, "Have I?!?!"

Nodding, Janus swiftly lied, "I do believe you have. And I advise you to stop it, you're growing too fast."

Patton giggled and took a step back from Janus. He looked down at himself in awe, "Actually, I do feel taller!" He began to walk around in the tips of his toes, bouncing like an astronaut as if his new height changed the gravitational pull of the Earth.

Janus smiled at this and then glanced into the kitchen and raised an eyebrow, "Hm, what happened here?"

Patton beamed at his uncle and grabbed one of his gloved hands, pulling him into the kitchen, "I was making cookies! Look!"

He held up a tray of raw flour and milk with a bit of egg yolk visible here and there and small crystals of sugar sprinkled on top. The rest of the kitchen was an utter mess, milk was spilled on the floor and globs of dough hung off the cabinets. The stovetop was flooded with rainbow sprinkles and there was an empty bag of sugar on the ceiling fan. Janus took the tray and looked at it, then the kitchen and then at Patton, "You did this all by yourself?"

Patton nodded excitedly, swaying on the balls of his feet as he waited for Janus' reaction. The older man stared at the "cookies" and then smiled at Patton, "I'm impressed. Though, I know what else we could add."

"What?" The small boy asked, following Janus as he walked over to the cabinets.

Janus pulled out a bag of M&Ms and waved them at Patton, who grinned back. "And of course, we must cook them. Though it was very responsible of you not to use the oven alone."

Patton beamed and started jumping up and down, cheering, "Baking! Baking! Baking! Baking!"

Janus rolled his eyes, smiling, and placed a hand on Patton's head, "Yes, yes, settle down. We should have our cookies done and maybe some other delicacies before it's time for Family Night."

Patton scrunched his nose in thought, "What does 'delicacies' mean?"

"Delicious foods."

"Oh! I like delicacies a lot!" Patton said, looking happy to use his new word. "Are you good at baking delicacies, Uncle Jan?"

Janus turned away from the child, heading over to the dirty counter. "Simply the best." He replied smoothly before pulling out his phone and frantically looking up cookie recipes. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

But of course; he did not.

~~~~~~

The first thing Roman and Remus noticed when they walked into the apartment was the smell of burning and the loud yelling of Greek profanities.

"Patton?! Janus?!" Roman shouted, throwing his bag on the ground and sprinting to the kitchen with Remus in tow.

The two were there, covered head to toe in flour. Janus held a tray of what looked like charcoal blocks and Patton sat at the table with a bag of frosting in his hands and a plate of cookies in front of him.

The two men stared at each other in disbelief and shock while Patton yelled, "Papí!" And ran over to hug Roman. Remus watched over his brother's shoulder and burst out laughing.

"Lookin sexy in that apron, Jan." Remus said, grinning. Janus flushed bright red.

He placed the tray on the stovetop and adjusted his yellow dress shirt, untying the black apron. "I can explain." He said, keeping his voice neutral and avoiding Roman's eyes. "We were baking cookies and they burnt."

"I can see that, Lord of the Lies. Do you even know how to bake?" Roman said, amused. He glanced over at the charcoal "cookies".

Janus scoffed and stuck his nose up, walking past the brothers, "Of course I do, it's just your less than mediocre oven's fault the cookies went up in flames." He shot back.

Roman joined Remus in his laughter and Patton watched, confused, from his father's arms.

The doorbell rung just then and, in order to escape the Castillo siblings' inevitable teasing, Janus walked over to answer the door. When he saw who stood there, he smiled wryly, "Hello Virgil. A pleasure as always."

Virgil stood on the doormat, Logan next to him with his nose stuck in an Astronomy book. The man in the black and purple hoodie rolled his eyes, unamused, "Hey, Janus."

"And how are you, Logan?" Janus asked the small boy. He had babysat for him before and knew he could be...difficult.

"Adequate."

"Well alright then." Janus stepped away to let them in, glancing at Virgil just in time to see the distressed look he shot at Logan.

There was the sound of footsteps from the staircase and a second later Remy appeared with Emile following directly behind. The latter was laughing and wheezing at the same time, breathing heavily.

"Wait! Let us in, too!" Remy shouted then sprinted down the hall, shoving past Janus, Virgil and Logan before falling down onto the carpet of the apartment and holding his arms up in victory, "Safe!"

Janus gave an impressive eye roll, "It's not an elevator you know."

"Shut it you slimy snake, being a dumbass is my favorite coping mechanism for life."

Virgil snorted and stepped over Remy just as Emile came through the door and Janus slammed it closed, as if afraid there were more people racing to enter. The therapist bent over and placed his hands on his knees, "I made it."

"I expected more from you, Picani." Janus yelled over his shoulder and Emile fell into a fit of giggles, flopping down on the carpet next to Remy.

"Hey Duke, hey Princey." Virgil said, greeting the brothers.

"Don't you mean Dukey?" Remus asked, winking.

"No." Virgil deadpanned, narrowing his eyes at Remus. In contrast, he smiled kindly at Patton, "Hey tadpole, what's up?"

"The sky!" Patton answered proudly.

Everyone looked at Roman and he shook his head, "Don't look at me, I have no idea where he gets his dad jokes."

Roman set Patton down and continued to greet his friends. Meanwhile, the small boy caught sight of Logan and beamed.

"Logie!" He said happily, throwing his arms around the other child.

Logan cringed, stiffening at the hug, "Hello, Patton." He waited until Patton let go and then stepped away, clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses. "How are you doing?"

"I'm great! I made cookies with Uncle Jan!" Patton announced.

"Patton." Logan said frankly, "You are aware Janus is not really our Uncle but merely a friend of your father and my brother, correct?"

Patton tilted his head to the side in confusion, then he brightened when he realized, "Oh, I get it! You always hear me calling him Tío Jan so you're confused! Tío means Uncle, silly!"

"Wha-no, I was not confused. I just-" Logan stopped, flustered. He sighed and mumbled, "Nevermind." 

The two stood there awkwardly for a moment, one of them blushing and staring at the floor while the other swayed in place, smiling nervously. The adults chattered on above them, laughing and teasing each other mercilessly. Remy and Emile had gotten up off the floor and now mingled among the group.

Suddenly, Patton perked up and caught Logan's attention, "Oh! I made you something." 

Logan watched curiously as the boy ran to the kitchen and returned with something wrapped in a paper towel. He handed it to him and Logan unwrapped it to reveal a messy but recognizable unicorn cookie.

"I frosted it myself!" Patton said proudly, "I know you like unicorns so when I saw the unicorn-shaped cookie cutter I got the idea to make you this!"

Logan stared at the cookie and the way the unicorn's eye drooped and melted into its mane. He felt his cheeks flush even more and looked at Patton, "T-thank you."

Patton beamed, blushing a bit as well, "No problem!"

Just then, Roman walked up to them and knelt so he was level to their height, "Hey, you two. We're gonna power wash the kitchen and make dinner so you can watch a movie or play while you wait, ok?"

"Ok!" Patton answered, throwing his arms around his dad's neck and making the man laugh. Logan nodded but stared at the small family of father and son. He felt his chest tighten, remembering his mother and bit his lip.

When Roman went away, Patton turned back to Logan, looking excited, "C'mon! I have this awesome mega-board game I made in my room and-"

"Actually, I would find it preferable to watch a movie." Logan said, cutting him off coldly and walking towards the couch.

Patton felt his shoulders droop and stared after (what he hoped was) his friend with a forlorn expression. "Oh. Okay."

And with that, they fell back into silence. Sitting on the couch.

Halfway through the movie, Logan took a bite of the cookie and smiled for a second before feeling a twinge of regret.

It was almost completely raw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Why am I even making the supposedly fluffy chapters angsty and sad???? I have no idea what's up with me tbh XD 
> 
> Anywho, I might upload the plotline chapter which, spoiler, will be the first plot-starter "Now" chapter, tomorrow or Tuesday. Either way, please take this chapter as a gift for not uploading today.
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	6. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Now to the current present! In this chapter (and probably all other "Now" chapters) Patton is 16 going on 17 and Logan is 17. You may all feel free to make The Sound of Music references, it is happily welcome. Anywho: enjoy chapter 5!

5.)

Patton Castillo is a morning person.

In other words, someone who can wake up at ungodly hours and enjoy it in a way most of us cannot. He sees his clock read 6:00 AM and smiles, knowing he has awakened with the sun itself. Perhaps he went to sleep late but he can open his eyes at the crack of dawn and, unlike normal people, feel happy about it.

Perhaps his abnormal good mood when getting up in the morning was a result of seeing his father off to work every day as a child. Maybe it came from his love for breakfast foods. Maybe he liked the feeling of being awake while the rest of his town slept. The feeling of being alone and truly himself.

Or maybe he was simply just (as Virgil put it) strange.

Whatever the reason, this factor of Patton's personality was what made him get up at five AM the first day of his senior year and see the lovely view of a pink sunrise outside his window.

Of course, since he lived in the city, the world wasn't completely quiet. There were still faint sounds of honking horns and beeping streetlights in the distance.

But it was far quieter than the daytime and Patton felt a certain peace.

That is, until his Tío Remus slammed open his bedroom door in a black pea coat with yellow lining, holding only his car keys and grinning manically. "RISE AND SHINE TADPOLE! We're getting family-discount breakfast at Neend Café!"

You see, Remus was also a morning person but his reason for being so was not as unexplainable as Patton's. Remus felt a great joy in awakening his brother with a prank, stealing his roomate's clothes while he slept and taking advantage of discounts at Remy's café. So in short, Remus liked mornings because it was the one time that no one was awake to reign in his chaotic personality.

Patton smiled at his Tío but raised a disapproving eyebrow, "Okay, but we should actually pay this time, Tío. Uncle Remy needs the money for the cafe."

The two had a staring contest for a second before the older man finally gave in, rolling his eyes,"Fiiiine. Jeez, you're just as annoyingly noble as tu Pápa." Remus grumbled, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe, "Just get ready quick, I'm driving you to school." He turned around and walked away so Patton could get dressed.

The boy gave a silent cheer at his small success. Remus hardly ever listened to anyone so it was worth celebrating.

Patton slid out of bed and took a quick glance around. He had redecorated that summer, painting the walls his favorite shade of sky blue and putting up a large cork board above his desk. It was covered in Polaroid pictures of all his friends and family.

There was one of him and Sam on a rollercoaster in sixth grade looking nervous and excited. And beside that one, a picture of him and his Papí eating huge banana splits at a fancy restaurant for his quinceañera. His father looked horrified at the monstrosity of strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla covered in gallons of hot fudge and whipped cream. In the image, Patton was laughing at Remus in the background, sporting a whipped cream mustache and imitating his brother's expression.

There were many more, depicting a day-long monopoly competition between Janus and Virgil at the very moment Remus dived onto the board.

Him surrounded by his friend group at his Junior year Homecoming dance, wearing a purposely corny, light blue suit with ruffles. Lily had her arm linked with his, posing in her tiny, lavender dress.

Patton hugging his Uncle Remy at the opening day of his café, surrounded by streamers and balloons.

Emile peace-signing at the camera in the middle of his office, filled with cartoon merchandise.

And then there was the picture that always caught Patton's attention for a reason he couldn't quite identify.

The only photo of him and Logan that he had. It was them on their first day of second grade. As always, Logan looked unimpressed, managing an air of importance and superiority even at seven years old. He wore a black polo and a blue tie under a navy pea coat.

Patton, on the other hand, was beaming at the camera, one arm around Logan and the other holding his backpack strap. He wore hoodie with cat ears and light blue jeans. A pair of light-up Sketchers stood out as the star of his outfit.

This picture was pinned up right in the middle of the cork board, held in place with fairy lights specifically designed for polaroids. After that picture was taken, Patton had met Kayla, Sam and Lily. Logan, on the other hand, didn't meet anyone.

After that, their friendship had become awkward and confusing. Patton tried his best to reconnect but Logan seemed completely disinterested.

Except for that once. At the aquarium.

Patton stared at the photo, wondering what had happened that day to make Logan comfort him. Why had he, after so many years, acted like his best friend again?

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Remus banging on the door, "Ey niño! Let's go, we're gonna be late!"

Patton jumped at the sudden noise and jumped onto his feet, running to his closet. "Coming!" He yelled.

Quickly, he stripped off his Hufflepuff pajama bottoms and overly large Steven Universe T-shirt Emile had gotten him the year before. He threw on a light blue dress shirt, white jeans and a belt the colors of the pansexual flag.

He ran over to the mirror and ruffled his black curls, deciding it was useless to wrestle them into a neat hairstyle. As a final touch, Patton shoved his feet into maroon Doc Martens and carefully put on the friendship bracelets he'd made with his friends in Elementary school. Even so many years later, he still wore them every day, taking the care to remove them before showering or doing any manual work so they stayed in the best condition possible.

Grabbing his white backpack covered in pins depicting cute animals, Patton ran out of the room to see his Tío waiting at the door and twirling his keys on his pointer finger.

When he saw Patton, he perked up and grinned, "Great, let's go before Janus gets here and kills me for stealing his jacket."

"What about Papí?" He asked, looking worriedly over at his father's door. He'd heard him come in far later than usual the day before and wondered if he was okay.

Remus' grin shrunk a little but he quickly looked away, busying himself with exiting through the front door, "He's just a little extra-whiny today, Pat. Some extra 'beauty sleep' should do him good."

The boy pursed his lips and walked through the front door, following his Tío to his prized Jeep. When he saw Remus' gaze on him he quickly changed his expression to a tight smile.

"You okay?" Remus asked, locking the door and raising an eyebrow at Patton.

Patton fixed his smile a bit more, "Yeah, totally! Just a bit worried is all."

"About your Papí?"

Patton nodded and slid into the passenger's seat. Remus sat in front of the wheel and started up the car. With a quick glance at Patton he smirked, "The old drama queen will be fine, don't worry. He's made of tougher shit than you might expect."

"Tío!" Patton held back a laugh, "Language!"

"Spanish and English." Remus shot back. Patton snorted and erupted into a fit of laughter.

He immediately felt a little better. His uncle was always very good at cheering him up.

They began to back out of the driveway but it was suddenly blocked by a black van. The window rolled down to reveal a furious Janus. Remus went pale, "Fuck."

"REMUS CASTILLO. GIVE ME BACK MY COAT OR I'LL CUT OPEN YOUR STOMACH WHILE YOU SLEEP AND REPLACE YOUR ORGANS WITH ANIMAL FECES." He hissed, eyes dark and narrowed in a piercing glare.

Patton looked over at his uncle in panic and saw Remus was looking at Janus with a distant, loving gaze. He grinned and leaned out the window, "Careful, Janus. If you keep saying stuff like that I just might fall in love with you."

Janus flushed bright red and strengthened his glare, "My coat, Remus." He demanded.

Remus sighed and got out of the Jeep, pulling off the coat and handing it to Janus who swiftly snatched it out of his hands. He held it in his fist and pointed at the other man, "Don't touch my shit."

"Awww, but honey, we've been married for years now! What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine!" Remus answered, pouting.

If possible, Janus got even redder. He rolled his eyes and rolled up the window, waving at Patton and quickly leaving the driveway. The Castillo brother laughed as he left and stood staring after the car for a moment.

"Tío!" Patton yelled from the Jeep, making Remus jump and turn back, "We're gonna be late, let's go!"

"Ya, ya!" Remus replied, waving away Patton's comment and climbing back into the Jeep.

Patton watched his uncle and then smiled slightly, "I'm not what you would consider 'experienced' but you were totally giving Uncle Jan a lovebird look."

Remus blushed a bit and rolled his eyes, "What kind of a phrase is 'lovebird look'? You're more of a dad than your own dad, I swear."

Laughing, Patton turned back to look out the window at the passing people. There was a florist arranging a sunflower bouquet on the corner of the street. The moon was still slightly visible in the sky. The car window was wet with condensation, making the world blurry.

His Tío hadn't denied being in love with Patton's Uncle Janus and Patton wasn't at all surprised. He had heard his Pápa teasing Remus about it when he was younger before starting to notice the signals himself. Shared looks or glances when the other wasn't looking. Deliberate actions to try and get the other's attention, like Remus stealing Jan's clothes or Janus cleaning up Remus' "experiments" without permission.

It was super obvious.

But Patton didn't say anything. Janus and Remus were both very prideful, sometimes to a fault. So the chances of either of them admitting to the crush or confessing to the other first was below zero percent. Much less if someone teased them about it relentlessly which was unfortunately the case with Roman and Remy around. 

Patton chose to wait and see. Things unfurled more beautifully that way.

That much he knew to be true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Weird ending but I needed to seal off this chapter to create a decent time skip. Next chapter will be another "Now" chapter and we will see how good I am at writing Remy and Emile dialogue. Hope you enjoyed this one though it was a little late :)
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs 💙


	7. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I'm back! Hopefully a little early instead of late like I have been since school started TvT. Sorry about that friendos. But I've been working on a fun project I might share with you guys when I'm done ;))) Anywho, enjoy the chapter!

6.)

The Neend Café has a clever name.

Remy Chandra had spent weeks thinking it over before finally coming up with the ultimate title for his café. And you can bet he flaunted it whenever he got the chance.

So if you ever happened to go there, you would know the reason for the chalkboard.

Remus burst through the door of the small café and Patton followed behind, apologizing to some other customers who glanced over.

It had a slightly modern theme with everything colored black and white, including the big cushy chairs and beds spread around the room. Some people occupied the beds, napping, while others curled up drowsily with their coffee and pastries in the recliners.

See, "Neend" meant "Sleep" in Hindi but it also sounded like "Need". And café also meant "coffee" in French. So the name could be interpreted as "The Sleep Café" or "Need Coffee". Remy had all of this detailed in the previously mentioned chalkboard that hung right in the middle of the menu, taking center stage. Patton grinned up at it with an odd sense of pride.

He spotted Remy behind the counter, talking to a customer with an air of annoyance and raising an eyebrow behind his dark shades, "What the hell do you mean by 'no espresso shots'?! This is a coffee shop, babe, the shots are the best part." His tone was sharp, as if the lady had personally offended him.

The woman looked startled and distressed, "I have clinical insomnia!"

"Oh." Remy put his hand on his hip and grabbed a latté mug, "Well, girl, you should have just said so. I got just the thing."

A moment later, the lady was walking away confused but smiling with a rented pillow under one arm and a mug of chai latté in her free hand. Remy was washing the steamer when Patton and Remus approached.

"Two family discounted breakfasts are demanded!" Remus said, slamming both his hands on the counter as loud as he could. Some people shifted in their sleep.

Remy didn't even flinch, peering over his shades at Remus, unimpressed, "This is exploitation you bitch. Also keep it down, I got costumers.

Patton giggled, "Don't worry, I got a job this summer so I can pay." He opened his backpack to get some money when Remy let out a loud scoff, reaching out and zipping the bag closed.

"Yeah right," He said, glaring slightly, "The day I let my nephew pay at my café is the day I finally get over my caffeine addiction."

"You-you should actually work on that Tío..."

"Never!"

Patton sighed but it was a fond one. Remus put a hand over his heart and wiped away a fake tear, "That's so sweet, like a funeral eulogy."

Remy folded his arms, "I said my nephew not my idiot best friend's trashy rat man of a brother."

"I'll replace Roman's eyeliner with black sharpie."

"Sold" Remy turned around and started whipping up Remus and Patton's orders from memory.

Patton didn't interfere, making a mental note to warn his Papí about the eyeliner. When Remy and Remus weren't looking, Patton slipped a twenty into the tip jar.

"Have a good first day, kid." Remy said, smirking and ruffling Patton's hair, "If anyone gives you hell, remember you have an endless supply of hot coffee to throw in their face."

Patton cringed a little but smiled back, appreciating the sentiment. "Thanks Uncle Remy."

"You're too goddam sweet." Remy shook his head and waved as the two Castillos walked out the door of the café.

He stared after them for a second, pursing his lips. Remy knew how mean the world could be to nice kids like Patton. A memory tugged at his attention and he sighed heavily.

"Alex." A man about a head taller in a black apron looked over at Remy from the glass case full of pastries. "Take over for a bit, I've got to make a phone call."

~~~~~~~~

"Got your lunch?"

"Yep!"

"Phone?"

"Mhmmm..."

"What about the gambling money I gave you to scam these brats with?"

Patton smiled and held up a fifty dollar bill, "You can bet I'm not using it for that, but yeah I've got it."

Remus groaned, "If you don't scam them you'll murder them with those dad jokes, I swear."

Patton giggled and Remus ruffled his hair like Remy had earlier. The boy's hair was such a mess either way that nearly all the members of their misfit family had taken up the habit of fluffing it around whenever they could.

"Alright," Remus sighed as Patton got out of the car, "Give those little demons hell, kid. I'll see you at dinner on Friday. Emile's picking you up."

"Okay!" Patton replied brightly, "Chao Tío!" 

He waved as Remus drove away and didn't move until the car had turned the street corner and disappeared into the city traffic. With a deep breath, Patton tried to control the little ball of nervousness in his chest.

The school was a big one, with over two thousand students and a Tuition of nearly the same amount. Technically Patton was only able to go there because of his scholarship since his old school was public and only a short walk from home.

But Nova High was prestigious and full of rich kids with Ivy League futures. So when Kayla announced she would be going there and Patton found out about the scholarship, it seemed like fate.

At least, it did at the time. Patton looked around at the other kids and became hyper-aware of how much he stood out with his second-hand clothes and dark features. A girl walked by and Patton shot her a smile. She began to do the same but then caught sight of his pride belt and scowled, hurrying away.

"Well that was quite rude of her."

Patton jumped, his disappointment being quickly swept away by surprise. Next to him was the only other student to have received the scholarship, standing stiffly in a navy blue dress shirt, black blazer, black dress pants and black shoes. The only colors in the entire outfit were a blue striped necktie and a rainbow pride pin on the blazer's lapel.

"Logan!" Patton said happily, turning to the other with a smile.

Logan smiled courteously back, "Hello Patton. I hope your morning has been satisfactory, though I apologize if that unfortunate encounter has ruined your mood."

"Oh no, its okay!" The two began to walk inside the building side by side, "Stuff like that happens all the time, you get used to it."

Logan frowned, "Doesn't make it alright. I continue to be baffled by your relentless optimism."

Patton scanned the crowd for his friends, staying close to Logan so as to not get separated by the mass of students. "Well of course it's not okay! But if it's happening to me and not someone else then it's different, right?"

"Patton..." Logan began to reply, sounding confused and concerned in a way Patton had witnessed few times before.

But he was quickly interrupted by a tiny blond girl in trendy clothes throwing herself into Patton's embrace, "Pat!!!! You got in!!!"

Patton beamed and swung the girl around, the two of them giggling, "Lily!!!! Aaah it's so good to see you!!!"

He placed her down, still laughing, "What happened? I haven't heard from you or the rest of the gang all summer!"

"Yeah..." Lily seemed to get nervous at the comment, "Uh, Kayla invited us to her summer house but she could only ask a few people so..."

Patton felt his heart sink a tiny bit before he muffled it with a bright smile, "That sounds fun! What did I miss?"

"Weeeelll...I'm dating Sam now!" Lily replied happily.

Patton gasped dramatically and then squealed, "Awwww, that's so cute!!!! You guys are adorable together!!!" Lily blushed and smiled, looking away, "Wait...I thought you liked Jordan? The head of Newspaper back at our old High School, right?"

Lily pursed her lips and pulled her hands out of Patton's, hugging herself slightly, "Oh, I'm, well," she forced a laugh, "We had our differences y'know. Kayla told me he wasn't the one and then Sam confessed and...it all worked itself out!" The smile was cold plaster.

Logan observed the girl's expression, it was almost like she was admitting to something done wrong. He glanced over at Patton and saw him looking conflicted and slightly sad, "Oh...well, Lily, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." Lily said sharply.

"Ok." Patton brushed off the cold response and put an arm around Lily, "I'll see you at lunch?"

Lily was quiet for a moment before returning Patton's side hug, "Yeah, see you in cafeteria hell, buddy."

"Language."

Lily laughed and waved goodbye, walking down the hall to her home room.

Patton kept the smile on and dropped it as soon as Lily was out of sight, then he seemed to remember Logan's presence and the corners of his mouth were pulled back up. "What's your home room Logie?"

Logan rolled his eyes at the nickname but checked his schedule which was folded neatly in his pocket. "Mr. Flores."

He jumped at Patton's sudden gasp and then high-pitched squeal immediately after, "ME TOO!!!! Oh my goodness we're gonna be home room buddies!!!!"

"It seems so."

The two shared a smile, Logan's subtle and Patton's an out-right beam. "Shall we walk together?" Logan offered and Patton giggled, linking his arm with Logan's playfully and not noting the other boy's soft blush.

"We shall!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N HAHAHAHA ITS TOTALLY SUNDAY RIGHT?????  
> Sorry I didn't post yesterday T_T or...at all last week. School and soccer has been murdering me and I've been feeling super stressed and lonely. But you guys make it so much better by just existing and saying such nice things about me and this fic! So thanks!!! I love you all very much UwU
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	8. Once Upon A Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N This is late but it's a pretty lengthy chapter lol. TW for this chapter: I-couldn't-help-myself-so-there's-more-angst. Enjoy!!!

7.)

Love has been famously known to make people perform in vastly unexpected ways.

It is a trance that for many years has controlled the minds of man, woman and person alike. Tugging at their strings like they are simply marionettes at its mercy. Lives have been lost and relationships broken. Ships have sunk and skies have fallen. Systems and societies torn down brick by brick.

All in the name of love.

It has been described as an illness, harmful and corrupt. And perhaps that is true to an extent, everything I have thus described to you as being a result of love has been negative. But that does not mean that is all it's capable of producing.

Even the most logical thinkers have been swayed by love. And even the most chaotically aloof have had their hearts broken...

~~~~~~

The night felt almost overwhelmingly like a High School cliché. You know the kind: humid air, fairy lights, crickets chirping and a breeze just strong enough for someone to offer their jacket to a shivering love interest.

Remus Castillo smirked at the romantic environment, feeling light on his feet as he ran through the streets.

Sneaking out had been easy enough, especially when he was no longer sharing a room with his uptight brother. Remus had insisted on keeping the half of the room with the window, then it was just a matter of jumping to a nearby tree and having somewhere to go.

He approached a rich neighborhood and turned right towards one of those dead ends, with just enough space for a car to U-turn out of the clump of mansions.

It was familiar; Felicity Stevens' house. Or, perhaps more importantly, her brother Daniel Stevens' house. The Christmas party had been a full night of trying to gather information on the, dare I say it, "hottie with a body" as Remus described him. And now, with their parents away on a business trip, of course a house party was in order.

Music blasted from the speakers with the bass turned all the way up. Balloons lay deflated on the porch where partygoers stood engaging in underage drinking and smoking. And, for some unknown reason, there was a shopping cart on the roof.

Remus felt right at home.

Stuffing the black hoodie he used to sneak out into his backpack, Remus jogged up to the porch and through the door. Almost immediately, he was offered a red solo cup filled to the brim with some foul-smelling liquid that Remus promptly chugged in its entirety, warranting some cheers from people nearby.

His outfit would've made the Castillo parents run for their rosary. A garbage green crop top and tight, black, distressed jeans with rainbow platforms and one dangling earring on his right ear in the shape of a pentagram.

From across the room a group erupted into cheers as a girl made a point in beer pong and threw back a shot with incredible grace. Watching was a familiar form with a large flask in hand.

"I never really saw you as the house party type," Remus commented over the loud music, slinging an arm around Remy's shoulders. The man didn't even flinch, taking a sip from whatever was inside the flask.

"You're not exactly wrong. My demisexual ass can't get behind the idea of pointless sex. And there sure are some kinky weirdos hangin' out here tonight." Remy cringed as a girl winked at him, "But I've got nothing else to do and they always have free chips, so what the hell."

Remus snorted and swiped the flask away, taking a long swig before ripping it away from his mouth in surprise. He clutched his heart and looked at Remy in horror, "Is that just plain Espresso?!?!"

"And a tad of Vodka." Remy grinned and took back the flask, "Only kind of drinking I really like. Beer is as tasteful as that girl's sequin dress." He squinted through the crowd at it, "Like, did she wear it just to give me a migraine or...?"

He was quickly silenced when Remus unnecessarily slapped a hand over his mouth, having recovered and noticed something in the crowd, "Shh! Look!"

Remy pulled his hand away distastefully and followed Remus' gaze. A tall man with dark hair and bright blue eyes was congratulating the beer pong winner, smile complete with a set of dimples. And Remus was staring, infatuated and blushing deeply. He took a breath and smiled mischievously, "I'm going in."

As he walked away Remy said something along the lines of, "Good luck, I guess." and took another drink from his flask.

~~~~~~~

"Gay or Nay?"

Daniel Stevens nearly choked on his drink. Remus had snuck up next to him at the snack table, leaning on it with one hand. He stared up at him expectantly.

"E-Excuse me?"

Remus stepped a bit closer, "Gay," he placed a hand on Daniel's chest and then quickly pulled it away, "Or Nay?" He smiled at Daniel's blush, "I have my suspicions, but it's good to know for when I shamelessly seduce you."

Daniel stared, regaining his composure. He smirked and placed his cup down, leaning against the table and not bothering to step away from Remus' close proximity. "Oh, is that what you plan to do?"

"Well now it is,"

Daniel laughed, "A bit too familiar with the 'I'm straight' form of rejection?"

"Not exactly. My gaydar is usually on point and I see it hasn't failed me this time, either." Remus leaned in closer, "So what do you say we get out of here and do something fun?"

"What if," Daniel set a hand on Remus' waist and took his hand in another, "I dance with you instead. To start."

Remus felt breathless. One thing was watching a guy from afar, but that same guy you've been crushing on for months asking you to dance? Roman would tell him it was straight (or gay, in this case) out of a Disney movie.

Remus smiled and allowed Daniel to pull him into the crowd of dancing people, some of which were not even of High school age. The song was one of his favorites:"Reputation" by Joan Jett.

Not exactly a romantic type song, but Daniel proved to be a fantastic dancer. Remus himself was quite good, having had dance parties with Roman when they were younger. They were odd events full of screaming lyrics, surprisingly good harmonies and a whole lot of jumping and stamping. But it had taught Remus enough about rhythm and beat to stand out from a crowd.

Remus spotted Remy a few more times before he disappeared completely, possibly leaving the party out of boredom. Remus was busy laughing and flirting with Daniel, dazed with the quick romance that had formed between them.

At one point, Daniel tugged on his hand and pointed to the stairs leading to the second floor. Remus swallowed but nodded and followed.

They entered a dark room, a bedroom by the looks of it, with a large balcony overlooking the river behind the house. Daniel led Remus to the balcony and they stood side by side, enjoying the view.

The stars were shrouded in layers of light pollution but the moon seemed to smile down at them, round and bright. A tree was glowing quite unnaturally, as if filled with fairies.

"Fireflies." Daniel said and Remus looked over at him in surprise. "They're always around here in early September. Pretty, aren't they?"

"Yeah..." Daniel met his gaze and blushed when he realized Remus had agreed while looking in his direction. The Castillo brother grinned and Daniel let out a laugh.

"You sure know how to flirt, huh? Do you have experience with dating guys or are you just naturally talented?"

Remus rolled his eyes, "I'd like to say it's a gift but I'm afraid I have to give credit to the academy of 'watching too many romantic movies with my brother'." He thought for a moment then looked down at the river to hide his expression, "As for the experience...well...I haven't even kissed someone before if I'm being honest."

Daniel watched him, shocked, "Really? You seemed so confident!"

Remus smiled and nodded, uncharacteristically shy. But there was something about this guy that made him weak at the knees. His head felt fuzzy and he was actually thinking before he spoke. Remus wanted Daniel to like him. And if he acted like he usually did...

Well, his mother had always said a personality like his would only scare people away. After years of experience, Remus was starting to see her point.

Daniel was too amazing to lose. Too perfect.

As if to prove his point, the boy next to him on the balcony reached out and slipped an arm around his waist, reaching out and tilting Remus' face up. They stared into each other's eyes and the party noises seemed to fade away. Slowly and gently, they leaned forward and their lips met.

The kiss was sweet, Remus' arm around Daniel's neck as it deepened just the slightest bit. It was fireworks and soft candlelight all at once. The taste was of alcohol and cupcake frosting. Remus felt numb but at the same time his senses exploded.

When they pulled away, they were both breathless, staring at each other in surprise. After a minute, Remus smiled widely and Daniel beamed back at him. The moment of bliss seemed to wrap around them, drowning out the world and engulfing them in feelings that mixed perfectly into a delightful concoction. Unlike regular ones that seemed to conflict at every twist and turn, these emotions fit perfectly.

"That was..." Daniel began, his voice low and barely above a whisper.

"Better than a pillowcase full of live badgers..." Remus muttered unconsciously, still in a dreamy state.

"What?"

"Uh-Magic. It was magic."

Daniel smiled, his eyes sparkling with the reflection of hundreds of fireflies. He pulled Remus close once more, "Wanna do it again?"

Remus' eyes became heavy lidded as they leaned in to kiss once more, answering by closing the gap between them. And as he did so he realized one thing.

He was crazy in love.

~~~~~~~

As you and I know, we should emphasize the word "crazy" in this statement for closer inspection. Falling for someone was one thing, but falling as quickly and deeply as the Castillo brothers tended to was something else entirely.

The next two weeks that followed the house party were what Remus viewed as the best days of his life.

He and Daniel spent every spare moment together, though they hardly spoke much when they did. Remus tried his best to be someone Daniel would like, despising the confused look he gave him when something strange slipped out.

Roman seemed to notice the change in Remus' behavior, shooting him raised eyebrows and scrutinizing expressions whenever they were in the same room. He knew his twin better than anyone and he quickly came to the quite obvious conclusion. Remus was head over heels for some guy.

But he wasn't really sure until that night at the dinner table.

Yes, it's true that love makes you do stupid things. Ridiculous actions that make you question your own existence.

Except, love also makes you brave.

And Remus had been hiding for too long.

Unfortunately, unlike our lovesick Castillo, we know what happens next...

~~~~~~~

The door slammed behind Remus, muffling the sound of his mother's hysteric crying. He wasted no time leaping off the porch and running fast in no particular direction. His eyes were flooded with tears, streaming down his face as he choked back sobs.

Remus was trying to think through the deafening static. Where would he go now? He couldn't go back. He could never go back.

But Roman...He was leaving Roman. His brother, the one person he truly cared about and understood. And also the person who had betrayed him, knowing full well what he was going through. The thoughts were painful but Remus couldn't seem to shove them away.

Then he remembered. Roman wasn't the only one Remus cared for.

He set his jaw and redirected his path towards a familiar neighborhood at the edge of a river. It took him almost no effort to sneak through the wall of hedges and run around the house until he was staring up at Daniel's balcony.

Some scenes from 80s movies flashed in his head and Remus picked up a few pebbles from the ground, tossing them gently against the clear plastic door of the balcony.

After a few, the door finally opened and Daniel walked out looking around until he spotted the boy on the river bank, shivering and crying as if someone had ripped out his heart. But even so, his face seemed to light up when he saw Daniel, "Remus?"

"D-Daniel!"

"What are you doing here?" Daniel quickly walked to the edge of the balcony, leaning over it and glancing around nervously. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Remus felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. Just seeing Daniel made the static clear a tiny bit. He swallowed with some difficulty and hugged himself until his torso hurt, "I came out to my parents and...it didn't go well." His eyes filled with fresh tears and his voice sounded weak and broken, "At all. They-They kicked me out..."

"Oh...Remus. I'm sorry."

Remus looked up at Daniel and moved closer to the balcony which towered six feet above him. "I'm not going back. I'm moving somewhere else, getting a job. Maybe a goldfish, I dunno."

Daniel seemed lost, confused as to what he was supposed to say but sympathetic all the same. "Remus...I just....why?" He stared into the other's eyes, "Why are you telling me this?"

And in that moment, Remus knew exactly why. The answer came to him through the static and a future he hadn't even realized he was building in his head seemed to play before him.

He was in love with Daniel. He wanted to spend the rest of his life by his side.

"...Come with me." Remus said, sounding sure of himself.

Daniel's eyes widened, "W-What?!"

"We can run away together! Find someplace to stay far way from here." Daniel began to shake his head slowly, expression still one of shock. Remus became desperate clasping his hands together and begging, "Please, Daniel. We can have a life free of people who don't approve of us. A free life! J-Just you and me and-and a-a magic carpet." By now, Remus was sobbing.

Daniel looked distressed, "Remus I-I can't! I met you barely two weeks ago, we hardly know each other!"

"Two weeks was enough for me to realize I'm in love with you!" Remus yelled, "There, I said it! Daniel I'm in love with you."

There was a moment of silence where the only sounds were those of the chirping crickets and rustling leaves. Daniel bit his lip, shocked and slightly horrified. And Remus, well...the love he felt was making him believe that everything would be alright.

But just then, Daniel shook his head, firmer this time. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice cracking slightly, "Remus, I'm really sorry but I don't feel the same way. What happened with your parents sucks but, this isn't some fairy tale. I'm not gonna run away with you because there literally is no happily ever after."

Remus felt his heart sink, his hope attempting to keep it upright and failing. "W-We can make our own happy ending."

Daniel frowned, "No we can't. I don't love you, Remus. I'm sorry but...you're on your own."

Before Remus could reply or drop down to his knees and plead like his heart was telling him to , Daniel walked back into his room and slid the balcony door shut.

~~~~~~~~

Afterwards, Remus didn't remember leaving.

He was dazed and weighed down heavily by grief. He'd lost everything in a night and all because he'd taken a reckless chance. Why did he think anyone cared about him when he was how he was?

Remus buried his head in his hands and sobbed, pulling up his hood as he wallowed in his misery.

It was 7pm on a Saturday night so Remus found himself weaving through groups of people dressed for clubs and bars in the downtown area he was in. Some of them shot him glances and quickly hurried away. Remus didn't care. Nothing felt like it mattered anymore.

That is, until he heard the police car.

"Hey, kid!" A cop rolled down his window and Remus ducked his head. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Remus stopped and slowly turned towards the car, pulling his hands out of his pockets so they were visible. "Yes, officer?"

"What're you doing in this part of town? Who're you with?" The cop said, his tone not changing. A few people noticed the commotion and kept their distance.

Resisting the urge to shift uncomfortably, Remus sniffed and replied, "I'm just taking a walk, sir. A-And I'm alone."

The policeman squinted at him for a minute and then got out of the car. "Do you have ID?"

Remus nodded and pulled out his learner's permit, handing it to the officer who snatched it away and turned to his car. He leaned in to look at the permit in the dim light. One of his hands rested on the gun in his holster.

Seeing this, Remus' vision seemed to tunnel. He'd heard stories about situations like these and none of them ended well. His skin was still toasted from the summer sun, making it a clear hazelnut brown. And the officer had obviously noticed.

His heart beat sped up and he looked around for someone to help him. That's when he remembered there was no one there. He was alone.

Without thinking, Remus sprinted down the street before the officer could fully turn around. He ignored the shouts behind him and glanced back to see the policeman following after him.

Panicking, Remus ducked inside the nearest bar with an open door, shoving past people in brightly colored clothing and buckets of eyeliner. Some of them yelled at him but he just kept going, nearly hyperventilating from the overwhelming amount of emotions.

He felt terrified by the officer. His heart was still aching from Daniel. And all the betrayal and disappointment that was caused by Roman still pulsed through his blood, stinging like acid.

Remus felt like collapsing but he just kept running and shoving until he found a door. Reaching for the knob, he ripped it open and dashed inside, slamming it closed behind him.

He leaned against the door and tried to even out his breathing, noticing that he was trembling for the first time that night. His nerves were shot and all Remus wanted to do was go home. But that wasn't a place anymore.

The tears came flooding again as he gasped out sobs, still at a loss for breath. If home was where the heart was, what happened when your heart was shattered? Where could he go?

"Oh my goodness, sweetheart are you alright?!"

Remus' breath hitched and he pressed himself against the door in panic. But the woman standing before him looked anything but threatening. She had fluffy, raven black hair tied up in a relaxed ponytail and wore a pretty maroon dress that went beautifully with her dark brown skin. Her eyes were a gentle shade of gray and at that moment were intense with concern.

Remus didn't reply, knowing full well that if he spoke he would break down and cry his eyes out. The woman seemed to notice his distressed state and held up her arms a bit to show she would not hurt him.

"You're gonna be okay, sweetie, just breathe." Without looking away, she raised her voice just the slightest bit and moved her head a bit to talk over her shoulder, "Philly, can you get me a glass of water from the bar?"

Remus looked at the rest of the room and noticed he was in one of those pre-show rooms with mirrors lining the walls and individual tables stacked with all kinds of makeup. There were at least three racks of glittery, colorful costumes as well and a few mannequin busts on a counter sporting luscious and elaborate wigs. Framed magazine covers and sparkly Christmas lights decorated the room, a magenta-velvet curtain covering a doorway to what Remus guessed was the stage enterance.

But most shocking of all to our panicking Castillo was the five drag queens that were watching him from their seats in front of the mirrors. They had all paused in their tasks and seemed to be staying silent for his sake. Their expressions were laced with varying levels of surprise and pity.

One drag queen, whom the woman had called Philly, nodded and left through the velvet doorway. He returned a few moments later with a glass of water and handed it to Remus, a worried look on his face.

The boy accepted it with shaky hands and took a hesitant sip. The water was cold and cleared his head. By now, his breathing had evened out and the last of the buzzing panic was fading away.

"T-thank you." Remus spoke hoarsely.

The woman noticed he was calmer and straightened from the stance she had been in before. "Of course. Are you feeling better?"

"Um, a-a bit, yeah." Remus began to feel the attention prickling at his skin and blushed a bit in embarrassment. "Thanks." He repeated and the blush deepened.

The woman was kind enough to ignore it and smiled softly, "What's your name, kiddo? I'm Mayu." She gestured to the drag queen who had brought the water, "And this is Philly, my husband."

Philly smiled at him too, his arm comfortably around Mayu. "Hey hun."

With a nervous glance, Remus gathered enough nerve to speak, "...My name is Remus."

"Like the twins, Remus and Regulus?" Philly asked. His voice was rich and smooth, but kind as well.

Remus flinched at the mention of twins but nodded. "I'm sorry for barging in like this, I-I needed a place to hide."

One of the other drag queens with full lips coated it purple lipstick spoke up, confused, "From who? You're just a kid."

Before he could answer, there was the sound if screaming and movement from behind the door. A muffled voice was shouting, "Law enforcement, move it! Let me through!"

At that, the sounds of people running for multiple exits was heard. Remus felt his heart skip a beat and quickly turned to Mayu and Philly. "I didn't do anything wrong." His panic was threatening to rise again, "Please hide me I just-I was walking with my hood up and he stopped me and-and he had a hand on his gun s-so I ran but please please please-"

He was cut off by a loud knocking on the door, "Police! Open up!"

Quickly, Mayu grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie and pulled him over to a closet full of costumes and props. She shoved him inside with an apologetic look and closed the door. It had a window-shutter design so he could see through, though not perfectly well.

Once he was hidden in the mass of fabric, everyone looked in any other direction. Mayu and Philly whispered a few things to each other before Philly reached out and opened the door.

The same officer that had chased Remus stood there, red from running and anger. He seemed unnerved by the drag queens but straightened up, displaying all his false authority. "I would like to speak to the owner of this establishment."

"That would be us." Philly said sharply, glaring through his thick eyeliner and long lashes. Mayu was by his side, her face stern as she watched the officer.

After a beat, the policeman cleared his throat. He seemed surprised that the couple existed, and on top of that, owned a buisness. "I have reason to believe a dangerous delinquent has entered your bar. I thought I might inform you and have a look around."

This time, Mayu spoke. "I believe there's been a misunderstanding. We check everyone at the entrance so no one that made it in could be dangerous."

"Yes, well-"

"Your concern is appreciated but I think we've got it, officer."

This Mayu was way different than the one that had comforted Remus. She was polite but cold, there was none of the softness from before. Her eyes were narrowed and she seemed to exert power, despite being shorter than everyone in the room.

The policeman pursed his lips and looked around. All the drag queens were glaring at him. He was obviously unwanted.

Sensing this, the policeman swallowed. With a nasty look, he tipped his hat at Philly and said "Ma'am." His tone mocking. A flare of fury flashed in Mayu's eyes but Philly took her hand.

After another glance around the room, the officer turned and left, leaving the room in a tense silence.

A few minutes passed before a drag queen in a dazzling silver wig got up and opened the closet door.

Remus gladly exited the claustrophobic space and hugged himself. The commotion had left all of them stunned and anxious.

Mayu saw that he was safe and then turned to her husband, "Honey? Are you okay?"

Philly sighed. But when he looked up, he was grinning with triumph. Placing a quick kiss on his wife's lips, he replied, "I'm good. We won in the end, anyway." He arched and eyebrow and turned to the others proudly, "The coward just couldn't handle all the fabulous death glares."

The drag queen in the silver wig laughed, "Damn right, Philly. We woulda killed him too for sayin that and chasing this poor kid." Remus received a concerned glance, "You okay now, baby?"

"Yeah." After a beat he smirked a tiny bit. Without thinking he said, "Sorry for bringing in a cop that was such a moldy asshole."

There was a series of shocked snorts and then laughter, "'Moldy asshole'," One drag queen repeated, cackling. "Now that's gold."

For the first time in his life, Remus watched as his gross comments weren't met with repulsion. Instead, he had made people laugh.

He was shocked but pleased, the corners of his mouth turning up a bit. Mayu grinned at him and walked over to take his hand and lead him to a chair.

The laughter faded and some of the drag queens went back to applying makeup. Remus felt a lot more comfortable in that dressing room than he ever had anywhere else.

"So." Mayu began from a stool next to Philly's makeup station. He'd taken a seat and was now gluing on eyelashes, watching them both in the mirror's reflection. "Where did you come from, Remus? You weren't in good shape when you ran through that door."

Remus felt his grin fall slightly and shifted nervously. He didn't know how to reply.

Did he share everything he'd been through with a total stranger? Or did he make something up and run away as quick as his legs could take him?

He glanced up and saw Mayu and Philly waiting patiently.

They were kind people. And Remus desperately needed that kindness. He felt that if he kept everything to himself, it would eventually crush his ribs and kill him.

And so he told them. All of it.

His kiss with Daniel. The two weeks of bliss. Coming out. His brother, Roman, who was just like him in only one way. The running. The begging. Even the fact that he had no idea what he was doing and that none of it had been planned.

When he finished, the room was quiet once more. He felt lighter, somehow, but also empty and numb. Anxiously, Remus looked at the other's reactions.

Surprisingly, Mayu was looking at Philly and not him. Her gaze was intense and determined. Philly had noticed and they seemed to be having a silent conversation.

The drag queen with the full purple lips finally broke the minutes of silence. "Oh, god, just adopt him already!"

Remus jumped in his chair. "W-What?!"

Philly sighed and shot the drag queen a glare, "Jesus, Nia, you have no chill." He looked at Remus, apologetically, "Sorry about them, hun. They don't know how to hold their tongue."

Nia scoffed. "Oh yeah? How about instead I hold your-"

Mayu cut them off by clearing her throat, shooting them a warning glare. "Anyway. I'm sorry all of that happened to you, Remus." She looked at him sadly, her gray eyes filled with sympathy, "It sounds like you really tried to keep them close to you. It's their fault it didn't work out." Her voice was a bit sterner at that, "As for your brother..."

Remus tensed and gripped his ripped jeans, "I don't want to talk about Roman." He said sharply.

Mayu stopped.

There was another long silence before she finally spoke again, placing a small, gentle hand on his arm comfortingly. "You can stay with us if you want." She said kindly.

Looking up, Remus stared at her, shocked. "R-Really?"

Mayu looked at Philly and he nodded, smiling grimly. "I know what it's like to get kicked out for not fitting in," he said heavily, as if it hurt to admit it even years after, "We all do."

Remus looked at Mayu and she smirked, "I'm a biromantic asexual."

"Oh. Sorry for...assuming."

She waved it off, "It's alright. The point is, we get how your feeling."

"And," Philly continued, reaching out and taking Mayu's hand, "If you feel comfortable with it, we'd like to give you support. Even if that means off-paper adopting you."

For a minute, all Remus could do was stare. He had never been offered something so kind before. And it was something he so desperately needed...

He looked around to see the other drag queens giving him encouraging smiles. Nia winked at him.

Remus turned back to the couple and felt himself start to cry a bit. He took a deep breath and nodded.

Mayu rushed forward and hugged him tightly as he sobbed into her dress. She gently stroked his matted hair and Philly came to stand beside her, rubbing Remus' back.

Suddenly, Remus didn't feel quite so alone. He was in a room full of people who empathized with what he had gone through. He was finally understood and it felt like all the emptiness inside him was flooded with warmth.

He pulled away slightly and looked at Mayu with puffy eyes. She cupped his cheek and her kind gray eyes seemed to solidify her words, "You're gonna be okay. You're at home with us now."

Remus nodded and settled back into the hug. His sobbing was reduced until they were only soft hiccups.

Home is where you go when love lifts it's spell. Somewhere with cushioning familiarity to keep you from falling apart.

Home is love with softer edges.

Remus sniffed and smiled through his tears.

He would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N The cute ending is a beg for forgiveness TvT  
> Sorry about not posting last weekend. Hope you guys liked this super long chapter!!!!
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙


	9. Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey guys! Here's a Then update because I needed some Pat and Virge BONDING. Enjoy!!!!!!

8.)

Virgil was anxious.

Crazy, right?

He was pacing in his apartment alone, hugging himself nervously and imagining several ways his day could go horribly.

This may come as a surprise to you but Virgil had an intensified anxiety disorder that he had been diagnosed with early on. It often led him to believe that things would be worse than they actually turned out to be.

"You're gonna be fine!" Emile said cheerfully from the other side of the phone, "Patton's a super sweet kid, even sweeter than Steven Universe himself! There's no trouble to be had."

Virgil huffed out a laugh, "Oh, sure. Emile, the only other kid I've ever looked after is Logan and I love him but he's not exactly what I'd call normal. What if I screw up?"

"What if you don't? What if you're just worrying because you don't want to disappoint Roman? What if all it takes is providing Patton with basic needs and you're just afraid of being yourself?" Emile said curiously.

Virgil paused in the middle of his apartment and stopped fiddling with the zipper of his hoodie. He glared at the wall,"Why the hell are you so perceptive?!?!"

Emile laughed lightly, "I have no idea!"

Virgil fell onto his couch and sighed, "I just don't want to disappoint them..."

"Aw, Virge!" Emile sounded concerned, "You know if anything goes wrong, which I severely doubt it will, I'll run over there with my Gravity Falls DVDs! You'll always have friends in your corner, okay?"

After a moment of silence, Virgil laughed a bit, "I feel strangely reassured...thanks Picani."

"No problem! Have fun, Virgil!"

"'Kay, bye." Virgil smiled and hung up. The apartment was far too quiet and far too big for Virgil by himself. Logan was at a gifted program for his school all weekend so Virgil had found himself missing the sound of shuffling papers and clacking computer keys.

His smile quickly dissipated and Virgil let out another long sigh, draping an arm over his eyes. Roman had an audition for a theatre role and had trusted Virgil enough to look after his ten year old son, a boy so unlike him and Logan, being based almost entirely on positive emotion.

It was nerve wracking.

But before Virgil could freak out even more, there was a knock at his door that matched the opening notes of Hamilton. Which meant it could only be one person.

"Princey."

"Gerard Gay!"

Virgil snorted, "Breathtakingly accurate title. You ready for your audition?"

Roman's face flickered to an expression Virgil recognized as severe anxiety but quickly masked it with a confident smirk. "I was born ready, Moretti."

"Mhm." Virgil replied, narrowing his eyes. He reached up and flicked Roman between the eyes, making the man yelp.

"What was that for?!?!"

"Lying to me. It's okay to be nervous. You're gonna do great, Princey."

Roman rubbed the bridge of his nose and grumbled, "There could've been a nicer way of reassuring me but thank you."

Virgil grinned, "Where's Patton?"

A boy slightly shorter and more widely built than Logan (who was basically a lanky cat in stature) stepped out from behind Roman, covering a smile. He wore khaki pants and a light blue shirt patterned with white cats. "Hi Virgil!!!"

"Hey, Pat. What are you smiling about?" Virgil himself couldn't seem to wipe the smile off his face, neither could Roman. What could they say? The little Castillo had a contagious smile.

Patton's gaze flickered between the two and he giggled to himself knowingly, "Nothing~!"

Virgil and Roman shared a glance and then quickly looked away. "Go inside and set down your bag, amor. I'm going to say goodbye to your Tío Virgil." Roman said swiftly in Spanish, planting a kiss on the top of Patton's head. Patton said goodbye to his father and then ran inside the apartment happily.

Once Patton was out of earshot, Roman turned back to Virgil. His expression grew a bit more serious, "How's Logan doing?"

Virgil's heart sank and he sighed heavily, "The same. Still not a single tear or emotional reaction." He leaned against the doorframe and hugged himself, "It's been years since she died, Roman...what if he never gets better?"

Roman pursed his lips, "I can't guarantee if he'll ever go back to the way he was but healing takes time. Especially for a kid."

The two stood in silence for a moment before Virgil spoke up, his voice quavering slightly, "Will he always hate me?"

"He doesn't hate you Virge..."

"Sure." Virgil said sharply, glaring at his shoes, "Doesn't talk to me, hardly even makes eye contact. What was I thinking? I'm sure he loves me." His tone was heavy with bitter sarcasm.

Now it was Roman's turn to sigh. For as long as he'd known them, the brothers had had a complicated relationship. While from an outside perspective it was obvious they cared for each other, the Moretti children themselves were too stubborn to notice.

Virgil looked back up, "Sorry. You're supposed to be thinking about your audition, not my sibling trouble." Before Roman could say anything, Virgil took a chance and fixed a strand of hair that had gone astray on Roman's forehead. They both ignored the furious blushes on each other's faces as Virgil stepped away once more with his arms crossed, "Now go or else you're gonna be late."

Roman shook his head, exasperated. "I swear I can never understand you."

Virgil observed his expresion for a moment and then smirked, "Well I can't just make it easy for you, Princey."

"Why?" Roman grinned slyly, "Are you exhibiting some tough love?"

Virgil stepped back a bit, "Maybe." He said calmly, winking. He quickly shut the door in Roman's shocked face before he could reply.

~~~~~

Patton was lying flat on his back in the middle of the living room when Virgil walked in, humming "Castle On a Cloud" from Les Mis to himself in a perfect Soprano.

When he heard Virgil walk in he stopped and waved him over, "Come join me!"

"What are you doing?" The man asked, crouching and then laying on his back beside the small boy. He fiddled nervously with his hoodie strings, barely noticing the unconscious action.

Patton hummed happily, "Looking for shapes in the clouds!"

"...What?"

"The clouds!" Patton pointed at the popcorn ceiling, "I can't see any shapes with all the rain so I look at the ceiling instead."

Virgil raised an eyebrow and glanced over at the child to find him smiling fondly. He was definitely a polar opposite to Logan, optimistic and warm. He was the kind of person who cried when someone else was sad. In comparison, Logan would be puzzled by any emotions he came across. And Virgil...well, he had enough of his own emotions to deal with.

The thought made Virgil smile. "Hey, Pat, how do you feel about taking a trip to the country?"

Patton looked over at Virgil, eyes wide. "The country? But isn't that super far away?"

"About an hour's drive and your dad isn't picking you up until 10pm tonight. I can call him to ask if it's okay." Virgil suggested. He felt unsure, maybe his idea wasn't that good after all. He'd blurted it out in a brief and unexpected moment of bravery...

"That would be awesome!" Patton squealed, jumping to his feet with his eyes sparkling excitedly. "Oooh, can we, can we, can we?"

Virgil suppressed a laugh, his anxiety giving in to relief. He stood up as well, "Give me a sec to call Roman. He should still be on the bus to the audition."

Pulling out his phone and dialing, he placed a tentative hand on Patton's shoulder, "Go on into Logan's room and take one of his jackets, it's gonna be a bit chilly in the open air and they should fit you fine."

"Ok!" With that, Patton ran off to Logan's room.

~~~~~~~~

The room didn't look like one for an eleven year old boy. It was painted dark blue and had solid black geometric furniture.

Everything was neat and organized except a big desk covered in lab equipment and dozens of papers filled with scribbled notes. The bed was made with black sheets. The only sign that the room belonged to a child were the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on the ceiling.

Patton looked around, walking on his tippy-toes with his arms behind his back and observing the room of his once best friend. It had been worse years before, the room empty of anything except bed and dresser. The desk and stars were signs of slow but occurring progress.

The boy smiled at one of Logan's drawings, a model of how constellations moved through the sky in a year. It was detailed and precise, the thin pencil lines crafting a chart that Patton thought was beautiful.

He heard Virgil walking towards the room and quickly moved towards the dresser. "You find everything alright?" The man peeked in and Patton pretended to be looking at the jackets.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled, "Yeah I was just about to take...um...." Patton panicked, surveying the clothes he'd been shifting through for a jacket.

Virgil grinned, "Logan keeps his jackets in his drawers for some reason. Actually..." He furrowed his brow and went to stand by Patton, opening one of the drawers and shuffling through it. "Logan's gonna hate me for messing up his system buuut...here we go. I found it."

Patton watched as Virgil pulled out a nearly brand-new frog jacket. When Virgil saw Patton's shocked expression he looked away sheepishly, "He never wore it. I made it for him a few years ago but I figure it fits you."

The boy took the jacket and put it on. He thought about Logan wearing it and blushed slightly, to his confusion. "T-thank you. It's perfect. I hope he doesn't mind me borrowing it."

"I doubt he'd notice if you burned it." Virgil muttered glumly. Patton looked at him, even more confused. When he noticed, Virgil quickly looked away, "Uh, it's fine. I'm sure Logan will be okay with it. Lets start going so we're home before it gets dark."

Patton let the subject drop, smiling and nodding in excitement. The two left the apartment and began the long drive to the countryside.

~~~~~~~~

"Woah..."

"Right? I love this place." Virgil watched as Patton stared out at the ocean view, eyes glittering in the retreating sunlight.

They stood atop a cliff overlooking the open sea. It had taken a lengthy walk through the woods to reach the small clearing. Wildflowers looked faded as the autumn chill slowly killed them, making them look somber but lovely. Red, orange and yellow leaves littered the floor and clung to tree branches while pine needles withered and dried. Patton could hardly believe the lovely scene.

"How do you know about it?" Patton asked, still in awe of the beauty. "I mean, it's practically in the middle of nowhere!"

An uncomfortable but familiar feeling settled on Virgil's chest. "Oh, uh...Logan and I...our mom, well...she used to bring us here. She loved hiking and herbology and all that...she's the reason we both love science, actually..."

Patton looked away from the ocean, sensing the pain in Virgil's voice. He'd known the man studied Astronomy but had never known where the passion had come from. "Mrs. Moretti found this place?"

"Yeah." Virgil smiled sadly at the view, avoiding eye contact with Patton. "Mrs. Moretti, huh? It's been a while since I've heard someone call her that..."

The two stood in silence. An Unkindness of ravens squawked in the distance and Patton shuddered, pulling the frog jacket around him tighter. He glanced at Virgil.

"My...my Mom is gone too." Patton said quietly. He was staring down at his yellow rain boots and didn't see the confused look Virgil gave him. "She died when I was little and I know...I know how hard it can be. Losing someone you care about."

Virgil stared at the boy, "Roman told you...your mom died?" He mumbled.

"What?"

The Moretti brother shut his mouth, eyes still wide. "U-um, nothing Pat. Just...thanks a lot for saying that."

Patton nodded and ignored the odd behavior. "You're not alone, Tío, we're...we're family now. We can all be there for each other."

Virgil swallowed, trying to think about anything other than what he had just heard. He doesn't know...

Of all the secrets Roman had confided in him, this had to be the most troubling.

But the comforting comment Patton had made about them being family seemed to sooth his nerves for a moment. He swallowed and smiled, "That's...really sweet, tadpole. I-I...I feel like we're a family too."

Patton beamed back at him and then threw himself into Virgil's arms, giving him a bear hug to rival all bear hugs despite his small stature.

Virgil tensed for a moment, not used to being touched. Then, he relaxed and hugged back, Logan hadn't hugged him like that since their mother died.

They stayed like that for a second until Virgil ruffled Patton's hair, "C'mon Pat, we should be heading back."

Patton pulled away and nodded. The two took one last look at the ocean view and began the long journey home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door swung open before Roman had a chance to knock it, revealing a disgruntled Virgil.

Roman smiled easily, "What's that look for sunshi-"

"You haven't told him?" Virgil interrupted, glaring more intensely. His hair was messed up and he looked as if he'd been worrying for hours.

After he and Patton had returned from the woods, the small boy had fallen asleep quite quickly on the living room couch. This left Virgil completely alone to his thoughts.

That was never a good thing. Especially after learning what he just had.

At Roman's confused look, Virgil shoved him outside, closing the apartment door behind him so Patton wouldn't wake up. "Could you please explain to me why Patton thinks his mom is dead despite what you told me about her being, how should I say this, alive?!"

Roman's eyes widened, "He mentioned her? Why?"

Virgil shook his head, not seeing why that information was important. "We went to a spot in the woods my mom used to take us to. I told him that and he tried to reassure me because, I mean, he's Patton so, of course. Then he said his mom died too but that it was okay since we're all a family now and now I've been panicking for the last five hours."

Roman blinked, trying to process everything before noticing Virgil's distressed state. Black bags hung under the other man's eyes, far too noticeable than they should've been on his already dark brown skin. The purple paint on his nails was chipped, as if he had been picking at them nervously for a while.

"Virgil..." Roman's eyebrows furrowed and he carefully took one of his hands in his own. "It's true...I-I didn't tell Patton his mom was alive. I just...I didn't want him to think she left because of him."

Virgil shook his head faster, "This is worse, this is way worse. How do you think he's going to react when he finds out? Because he will find out one day. It's inevitable."

Roman pursed his lips, "I know. I just wanted him to grow up happy."

The admission settled over them like a heavy blanket. Virgil felt his anxiety give in to concern. He understood why Roman had done what he'd done. If it had been Logan, he probably would have done the same thing. But the regretful expression Roman wore was enough to make Virgil get off his back.

"Ok." Virgil sighed, gripping Roman's hand, "Ok, I get it. Sorry for freaking out."

"No, it's alright." Roman smiled, "It's nice to know you care for Patton." He leaned in a bit closer, "And he was right, you know."

Virgil leaned unconsciously into Roman's other hand which was placed gently on his cheek. "About what?" He said quietly.

Roman pecked him quickly on the forehead, "You're family."

Virgil felt his face flush and was slightly relieved (and disappointed)when Roman pulled away. "I...don't want to tell him yet. I'm not sure I'm ready to handle his reaction." Roman muttered.

Squeezing his hand, Virgil smiled tightly, "That makes sense. Just...make sure he finds out from you. Whenever it happens."

Roman nodded.

For a moment it seemed like something would happen. One of them would be brave and change everything in an instant.

Virgil's eyes flickered to Roman's lips. But just as he started leaning forward, Roman tensed a bit and cleared his throat. "Patton has school tomorrow. I...we should...I mean..."

"Yeah, I know." Virgil avoided his gaze and opened the door. "He's asleep on the couch."

Roman nodded wordlessly and walked inside. Virgil stayed put and took a deep breath. A few seconds later, Roman walked out with a sleeping Patton in his arms.

"Thanks for looking after Patton today." Roman said tentatively. Virgil still wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Yeah, no problem."

They stood in silence, the apartment hallway eerie in the dim moonlight. The air was cool and smelled of cardboard and dust.

After a moment, Roman shifted Patton in his arms, "Goodnight, Virgil."

The other man stayed silent, his gaze fixed on his socked feet.

When he didn't respond, Roman sighed and walked away. Virgil heard his footsteps and then the sound of the staircase door opening. As soon as it clicked closed, Virgil echoed the sigh.

"Goodnight, Princey." He whispered into the dark hall.

Then he walked inside his apartment and closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N I think I have a problem when it comes to angst, guys. I can't stop.
> 
> Sorry about the lack of updates. Between Unus Annus ending and life not ending, I've been pretty busy.
> 
> I'll try to fix it up over Thanksgiving break and give y'all the two chapters I owe you.
> 
> But until then,
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs 💙


	10. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N It's been a while since we've seen these kiddos, huh? Hope y'all enjoy! 😉

8.)

Small things are often overlooked.

Needles prick gently but sharply at tender flesh until they finally draw blood. A vicious stinging of pain that is easily warded off with the bite of a lip.

It's no big deal; a minor inconvenience at most. After all, a pricked finger is nothing compared to a stab wound. 

But a needle plunged into the wrong place can be just as bad. Especially if the injury is constant.

Internal pain is still pain. And small things can have a large impact.

~~~~~~

The bell rings and Logan and Patton make it right on time, stepping into the classroom to be met with a mass of chattering students. Without discussing it, the two sit down next to each other among the mayhem.

"Settle down!" Mr. Flores says, his voice barely raised. He was smiling at the chaotic classroom and obviously trying to contain his amusement to. exhibit some order. "Guys, c'mon we gotta start class!"

Patton looked around. He and Logan seemed to be the only ones to have heard him. All the other kids were still buzzing with the excitement of greeting their friends after a long summer.

Mr. Flores rose an eyebrow and calmly walked over to his computer, turning the volume up to max on his speakers. With two quick clicks, he plays the first two seconds of "Ignorance" by Paramore, startling all the students into silence and making them scurry to their seats after a moment of shock.

Patton recognized the song instantly after so many years hanging around Virgil. By the looks of it, Logan did too. He was sporting a fond but slightly bitter smile.

Mr. Flores had everyone's attention now. He looked lup, grinning. "Well then." He said calmly, moving around his desk to lean against the front. "Now that we can hear each other, we can do introductions."

He points a thumb towards himself as he speaks and pronounces his name with a perfect Spanish accent, "I am Mr. Flores and as you know, or, at least, I hope you know, I will be your grade 12 English teacher this year." He points at a list on the whiteboard, "We'll be studying and attempting things like advanced essay writing, creative writing and poetry. Any questions?"

Nobody had any so Mr. Flores continued talking, explaining the subject in more depth. It was clear he was passionate about it with the way he bounced around excitedly as he spoke.

On the wall next to his desk, a piece of paper was taped up with duck-patterned duct tape. It read: "Frustrated Writer" and had an arrow pointing to where he sat.

A hand-made mobile with shapes cut from old CDs dangling from it hung from the ceiling and made rainbows in the florescent light. Several bookshelves packed with novels lined the walls of the classroom with all kinds of random bookends keeping them in place.

Inspirational dog posters decorated the walls and a pride flag hung proudly over the projector.

Patton observed this all and smiled. This teacher didn't seem half bad. It was clear from everything about him that Mr. Flores was a good kind of chaotic intellectual. Much like his own Uncle Emile.

Mr. Flores reached onto his desk and picked up a tiny foam basketball. "When you get the basketball tell me your name, preferred pronouns and..." he thought for a moment before giving up, "Any one thing about yourself!"

For the next few minutes, Patton listened to kids awkwardly announcing their names and pronouns. The facts are generally superficial: Favorite foods, descriptions of pets, origins of names and places students had lived in in the past.

Finally, it was Patton's turn. He took the basketball and smiled brightly. "Hello~! I'm Patton, He/Him pronouns." He put a finger to his lips in thought, "Erm, I guess one fact about me is that I've lived in this city my whole life."

He starts to hand the ball to Logan when a disgusted voice says, "I thought you were Mexican?"

Patton's hand freezes in mid air. The last word is spat like an offensive swear.

He looks over and sees a kid he recognizes from his friend group, one that he doesn't know very well. His smile shrinks a little but not much, it's a common enough misunderstanding and being called a Mexican isn't an insult. "Er, I'm actually Peruvian-Argentinian. On my dad's side."

The kid waves his response away, "Same thing."

"N-no, actually..."

"My point is," the kid continues, cutting Patton off, "If you're a sp*c then how could you have lived here your whole life?"

The slur startles Patton into silence. He grips the foam basketball tightly and tenses without noticing. The kid grins as he says it and a few of his friends snicker from their desks.

Mr. Flores looks absolutely livid. He pushes himself off his desk and starts to say something, but Logan beats him to it.

"The fact that such ignorance still exists is always shocking to me." He says icily, every word filled with controlled rage.

Patton looks over at him, eyes wide. Logan's expression is hard and serious, blue eyes so dark they look black. The grin slides off the kid's face.

He glares at the student who had spoken the slur. "First, you are idiotic enough to summarize an entire continent, no, an entire ethnicity, with the name of one country. In fact, you say the name as if being from that country makes a person lesser, which is absolutely untrue in every way possible.

Then, you act as if immigration and ancestry were nonexistent by suggesting that you can only live in the country of your culture's origin. With all the diversity in the world, you would have to be truly idiotic to not know any of this."

Logan's expression doesn't shift even the slightest bit, glaring and speaking in such a cold manner that the kid who had spoken to Patton seemed to shrink lower and lower into his seat with each word.

"And as if that weren't enough proof that you really are one of the most pitifully unintelligent creatures I have ever had the displeasure to meet, you had to use a slur built on the foundations of racism, a system fueled by the hatred of mindless porca madonnas!"

Logan's voice got louder until he finally shouted the final swear with so much force that even though he didn't understand it, the student flinched violently.

The class was completely silent as Logan fumed. Those who knew him had never known him to show any kind of emotion. Most of the time he was completely neutral, a robot with no discernable reactions.

Patton was staring at him in awe. No one had ever stood up for him before. And the fact that it was Logan who had done so...

He barely held back tears.

Mr. Flores broke the silence, still looking angry but also triumphant. "Thank you, Logan." He said genuinely, nodding at the boy in approval. Then he turned to the student with a heavy glare laced with exhaustion, like he'd been in far too many similar situations before.

"As for you; go to the main office. I will call the counselor and arrange for you to engage in community service this weekend. That will hopefully show you how little you know about the people those slurs are directed towards. And of course, I will expect a formally written apology to Patton."

The student nodded, his face bright red.

Mr. Flores directed his attention to the rest of the class, "I hope everyone is now aware that incidents like what just happened will absolutely not be tolerated in my classroom, or anywhere else if I can help it."

The class remained silent.

With a sigh, Mr. Flores walked around his desk and began to write a pass to the office.

Patton was still in shock, his fingernails digging into the foam ball. Logan looked at him, a concerned frown upon his face. To Patton's surprise, he placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

A light blush settled on the Castillo boy's cheeks and he relaxed a bit. He gave Logan a shaky smile, "Yes...thanks, Lo."

Logan seemed to soften. "Of course."

His blue eyes were kind and all traces of the coldness from before were gone. Patton felt his heart skip a beat.

That day, everything began to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N Hey childers!!! Apologies for the weird ending!
> 
> Sorry my updates have been super inconsistent, life has been hard (Remus: hard?) has been bad (Remus: bad?) has been rough (Remus: KiNkY-!)
> 
> But any who's. I'll be back soon with a continuation. These next few chapters should be easier to write since they are build up to a ✨Climax✨
> 
> But in the meantime...
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙💙💙💙


	11. Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N *scurries into line of vision and shoves this chapter at you* Have this cute Logicality and plot progression!
> 
> Oh yeah, and this: *hands you Logan's POV*
> 
> (Ok ok, seriously though. Some time has passed since the last chapter and it is now late September. So just be aware of that, friendos.)
> 
> ((Enjoy!!!!))

9.)

Logan stared at his reflection in the mirror.

He wore a dark blue dress shirt tucked into some black jeans and some leather, black boots. A black tie decorated with stars hung around his neck and there wasn't a single hair on his head that was out of place.

As always, he met his appearance with complete indifference. But it was where he was going that made him scowl at the outfit.

Somehow, he had let Virgil convince him to go to the ridiculously frivolous display that was Homecoming. In return; Virgil would allow Logan to attend a two-week research camp during winter break.

This perked him up a bit. At least there was a satisfactory result to his bothersome exploit.

Virgil had been apprehensive at first. Logan had done research camps before, but never ones that lasted too long. A weekend at most. His brother had been nervous to send him off on his own for so long. And of course; the fact that it took place through the holidays was not a helpful factor.

After a long argument, they'd finally struck up a bargain.

If Logan attended Homecoming, he would receive permission to isolate himself in a lab for two weeks.

So there he was, dressed up and ready. All it took now was at least a few hours of socialization.

The boy sighed, suppressing his dread. His brother was an awful hypocrite for making him suffer this way.

Resigning to the fact that leaving his room was unavoidable, Logan straightened his tie (as best he could, being openly homoromantic) and walked out the door.

~~~~~

Logan shifted uncomfortably under his brother's gaze. Virgil had seen him and stopped in his tracks. Now he watched him with a surprised and slightly wistful expression.

"...what?"

The younger man knew what was coming, and he hated it.

"I can't believe your going to your first high school dance..." Virgil said, a small smirk forming on his face.

The siblings were almost always bickering. Sometimes their arguments caused them to stop speaking to each other for days on end. But Logan had to admit he preferred that over moments like this. Feelings were like gun legalization laws, hard to manage and even more difficult to get rid of.

So Logan scoffed indignantly instead of returning his brother's sentiment. "It's not like I'm going willingly. You have forced me into a situation where I have been denied my rightful autonomy and I would prefer it if you just take me to my school now so that I may get this regrettable experience over with."

The wistfulness melted away to make way for a mischievous grin. The kind of grin that can only be achieved by older siblings before making their younger sibling suffer.

Virgil moved closer and ruffled Logan's hair, "Aw, am I not allowed to have a moment of nostalgia?" Logan smacked his hand away and Virgil laughed as he stormed past. "Seriously though, Lo, you look great."

Logan sighed and turned to face his brother, fixing his hair while he spoke. "Thank you, I suppose. Can we go now?"

Rolling his eyes, Virgil grabbed his keys and opened the door to their apartment. "Okay, lets go then." He zipped up his purple, patched hoodie and bowed sarcastically, gesturing Logan to go through before him.

Logan reluctantly obliged, huffing as he passed by, "You're unbearable."

Virgil didn't reply, smirking and shutting the door behind them.

~~~~~~

"-and of course no underage drinking. If I catch a whiff of alcohol or smoke on you you can kiss that nerd camp of yours goodbye. And speaking of kisses, you're absolutely not going home with anyone under any circumstances-"

"Have you completely forgotten who you're talking to or are you just trying to figuratively stretch this out for me as much as possible?" Logan said flatly, cutting off Virgil's Over-Protective Older Brother Lecture™. It was utterly unnecessary in his opinion judging by his own character.

Virgil stopped ranting and sighed. "Yeah, I know, I know. It's just...I know what these things are like." He glanced nervously at the entrance to the gym. They were outside in Virgil's car, having a debrief in the parking lot before Logan had to enter the dance. Even from the outside, the lights were visible through the windows and the concrete vibrated from the volume of the music. That must be hurtful to the eardrums, Logan thought.

"If I remember correctly, you never once attended a dance after Middle School."

"Just because my anxiety was a bitch and made me miss out on stuff doesn't mean I didn't accidentally eavesdrop on all the gossip. And let me tell you: some serious shit happens at dances." His brother replied, narrowing his eyes as if remembering a particularly drastic story. Logan decided not to ask.

Instead he looked out the window, "That still doesn't explain why I'm here. You're being extremely hypocritical by making me attend this event when you yourself hated them so thoroughly."

"Yeah, well, I've never said you should follow my example," Virgil shot back, "Fai come dico, non come faccio, alright? Now go try to have fun already, kid."

"I am not a child." Logan said sharply but he opened the door of the car and exited. He looked back and to his dismay, his brother had a hint of that wistful expression again. Except this time, it was more of a sad frown.

"Yeah." Virgil said, "I know."

And with that he drove off.

~~~~~

After only half an hour, Logan already wanted to go home.

The gym was packed with teenagers in outfits that that toed the line of what was and what wasn't permitted by the dress code. Since Nova High was full of kids with loaded wallets, the dance was pretty big.

The DJ was well-known and the lights were like the ones in movies. The tone shifted through different shades of blue, matching the beat of the music and hurting Logan's eyes.

He stood awkwardly in the corner among the fallen streamers and wallflowers. But he stood out with his cold demeanor as opposed to a nervous one that seemed to radiate off of the others around him, huddled in on themselves and scrolling through their phones.

The music was making his stomach roil. It was the type of trendy pop that Roman always listened to. Logan found it loud and obnoxious; just like it's listeners.

He pulled out his phone and opened it, pausing when he saw his Home Screen. It made the weight in his chest lighten just a bit so that he almost smiled.

It had been years since that day but he still remembered it clearly. Patton at his side with an arm wrapped around him in the way he'd previously despised. Logan stared at his first grade self and sighed. That boy didn't know what he had.

Patton was his best friend, not for a long time; but at the right time. And not by choice, of course.

Logan had done everything to push him away but the boy had been more stubborn than he expected. Just like his father and uncle, he supposed. Castillos were bold and Morettis we're broken. That's just the way things were.

No, Logan scolded himself. He was not broken. There was nothing in him to break. And if there ever was, he'd stamp it out himself. No one would ever have the power to shatter him.

His face hardened at the picture of Patton and he ignored the troublesome thought that popped up. There already is.

Logan quickly shut his phone and leaned against the folded-up bleachers. A girl and her friend walked past, giggling loudly and holding on to each other as if they might trip without support. It appeared the underage drinking Virgil had warned him about had begun.

He sighed again and closed his eyes. Why couldn't he stop thinking about Patton? It had been ages since their friendship had broken off. And yet...

That look Patton had given him. The day of the aquarium trip. It was the same look from when Logan had put that ignorant Neanderthal in his place on the first day of school, if a little less intense.

It was an expression of shock and admiration. As if Patton couldn't believe someone would stand up for him.

The idea that something Patton had always done for others was surprising to him when reciprocated made Logan more frustrated than he would ever dare admit. Patton was kind, caring, generous, thoughtful and a million other things that made a perfect friend. Even when Logan's interests were so different from his, Patton would still listen to him. And not in a pitying way either. He would contribute to the conversations and make Logan feel comfortable.

At the time; he'd despised it. He didn't want to feel better. He didn't want to feel.

After his mother died...

No.

Logan shook himself out of his reverie and pushed off the bleachers, opening his phone once more. He opened the text app as quickly as possible so the Home Screen background was nothing but a flash.

He had to text Virgil. Logan had served his time and the thoughts in his head were becoming too loud in this unruly place.

And he absolutely had to stop thinking about Patton.

"Logannnn!!!"

Speak of the devil.

Looking up, Logan spotted Patton coming his way.

He wore a light blue shirt with 80's style print, kahiki pants and bright yellow high tops. But what stood out most was the dazzling smile on his face.

And, of course, that it seemed he'd forgotten how to walk.

"I can't believe you caaaaame!!!" Patton said happily, his words slurring a bit ad he spoke.

Logan raised an eyebrow but offered a small smile in return, putting away his phone. "Hello, Patton. I can't quite believe it either, I hadn't planned on attending until Virgil forced me too."

Patton cocked his head to the side, confused and nearly fell over because of the movement. Logan quickly caught him and the other boy burst into a fit of giggles.

"Are you quite alright, Patton?" Logan asked, becoming quite concerned now. Then he caught a whiff of something strong and sharp. "Ah."

Patton was nearly limp in his arms, holding onto his shirt sleeves and laughing. "Logan!!! You wore a tie with stars, like the ones on the roof!"

Logan pushed aside his amusement and tried to get Patton to stand up straight. "There are no stars on the ceiling, Patton." He said matter-of-factly. "Tell me, has anyone given you something to drink tonight?"

Patton furrowed his eyebrows, "No stars?! There are stars on yourrr ceiling! The, the..." he paused for a second, as if he'd forgotten what he was going to say. Then his eyes suddenly lit up with realization, "Glow-in-the-dark! Those ones!" He yelled, earning some confused looks from other partygoers nearby.

Logan stopped for a moment. He remembered the glow-in-the-dark stars? After they'd stopped being friends, Logan had assumed Patton had forgotten everything.

A soft, warm something seemed to pulse a bit in his heart before he cleared his throat and it was gone. "Uh, Patton, you didn't answer my question."

Patton looked up at him with heavy-lidded eyes, "Whazzit?"

Logan couldn't help a small grin, "Has anyone given you something to drink during the dance? Something...easy to tamper with?"

"Hmmmmmm..." Patton scrunched his nose a bit in concentration and Logan had to stamp out another warm pulse in his chest. "I thingk zo," he slurred, then he brightened, "Oh, yeah! I was dancing and Kayla—my friend—gave me a water bottle!"

He scrunched up his nose again, "It tasted a bit funny... but hydration is important!" Patton exclaimed with so much force he fell onto Logan again.

The boy in question frowned, struggling a bit to keep them both from falling over. "You're right, Patton. But it's better to get your own drinks in public places, you never know what people have put in them."

"But Kayla's my friend!" Patton said, as if this solved everything. His eyes were full of trust, even though they were cloudy with intoxication.

Logan glared at the girl in the yellow dress who was laughing without a care on the other side of the room. "I'm not so sure about that." He mumbled.

Patton hadn't heard him over the loud music, instead staring at a random point on the wall and swaying. Logan sighed through his nose before wrapping his arm around Patton waist and making the other boy throw an arm around his shoulders. He needed to find a quieter place to sober Patton up. Who knows what could happen if he was left all on his own?

And so Logan lugged Patton out if the gym, through an empty hallway, and into the library- which was surprisingly still unlocked.

"All right," Logan grunted, dropping Patton gently onto a soft beanbag and rubbing his shoulders. An intellectual like himself was not meant for such physical labor.

Patton felt the beanbag and started to giggle, bouncing up and down on the squishy surface. Logan smirked before (with confusing difficulty) turning away from the adora- er - odd scene.

He ran through a mental list of ways to reduce the affects of alcohol. Eating and drinking, especially fruit juices with vitamins, were the best way to flush alcoholic toxins from the body. And they also happened to be the most accessible with a fully stocked vending machine just down the hall.

Logan nodded, satisfied to have a reasonable plan. He turned back to Patton and kneeled in front of him so that he would stop bouncing and focus.

The boy was flushed from the movement and beaming. Logan almost forgot what he was going to say.

Almost.

Patton's health came first and this was not time for silly feelings.

Not that Logan had any of those. But if he did, they would take second priority. 

"Patton, I need you to listen," Logan said, putting his hands lightly on the other boy's shoulders. "I have reason to believe that you are drunk. I'm going to go get you some food and drink so you sober up. It will only take me a minute." He explained.

Patton's smile seemed to dim a bit but he nodded, cue-ing Logan to get up and begin to walk towards the Library doors.

But before he even took a step, he felt someone catch his hand. When he looked behind him, Patton was there, holding his hand and looking significantly more serious than before. Logan's neck warmed a bit at feeling Patton's fingers around his.

Patton avoided his eyes, "Promise you won't leave me?"

Logan stared for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. The vulnerable look on Patton's face made him want to—what? Hug him? Comfort him? Logan didn't do things like that. And yet that's exactly what came to mind.

He resisted the unusual urge and instead gave Patton's hand a squeeze. The other boy looked up in surprise and Logan gave him a warm smile. "I promise."

After a beat, Patton let go, curling up on the beanbag and hiding his face. He started giggling again, batting at a piece of string on the ground like a cat.

Logan decided he should hurry up with the food and drink.

~~~~~~

"Patton?" Logan called out as he walked back inside the library.

He turned the corner around a shelf of history books (most of which he'd read) and spotted him making a snow angel in the carpet. Which did not work for obvious reasons.

At his voice, the other boy sat up. "You came back!" He exclaimed, beaming happily.

Logan knelt and steadied him with a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I did. And I brought nourishment."

Patton looked confused before Logan dropped a water bottle, a box of orange juice, a Nature Valley bar and a bag of Sour Cream and Onion chips in his lap. His eyes glittered and he took both of Logan's hands in his, smiling widely, "You remember my favorite snacks!"

The other boy blushed and took back his hands, holding them against his chest and turning his face away so only his red ears were visible, "Well of course I do, we have grown up together. Now eat."

Patton obliged and as soon as Logan was sure he was no longer visibly flustered, he sat down next to him on the beanbag. It was large enough for there to be half a foot of space between them.

Patton munched happily on the chips, offering some to Logan. The boy scrunched up his nose and declined, "No thank you, I don't know how you can eat such a horrendous flavor."

Patton gasped dramatically, looking a lot like his father when doing so. "How dare you! Sour cream and onion is delicious!" He exclaimed. Logan grinned and shook his head, prompting Patton to give up, "Oh well, I can't help that you've got funky taste. You like sea salt and vinegar, right?"

Logan was again surprised that Patton remembered such a small detail. But instead of saying something about it, he decided it was best to avoid such troublesome topics and nodded in return.

After a few moments of silence, Patton spoke again, "How did Virgil force you to come?"

Logan cringed, "He and I made a deal. I had to come to this dance to fulfill my end of it."

Patton peeked up curiously, sipping his orange juice through a straw, "What deal?" He was a lot more blunt and bold when drunk, Logan noted.

"If I came here and attempted to have a social life, my brother would allow me to attend a research camp. It comes with my scholarship and involves camping in the woods near the Connecticut river. During the day we would collect samples and perform experiments." Logan could feel himself rambling a bit. In truth, he'd already attended several programs similar to this one. But the idea of spending the holidays away from the awkwardness of dinner with his brother and family friends (including Patton) was too tempting to pass up.

Still, this moment with Patton struck him with gentle nostalgia. When he would talk and his friend would listen intently.

"That sounds awesome!" Patton chirped, "When is it?"

An unexpected prick of guilt caught Logan by surprise. "Er," he began, feeling Patton's gaze burn into him. "It will take place over winter break, beginning on December 23rd and ending after the new year."

"...oh."

Patton's tone sounded so put out that it moved something inside of Logan. Again he was struck with that strange urge to hug and comfort the boy next to him.

And he nearly did. But he caught himself at the last moment and ended up only leaning his and Patton's shoulders together. Patton glanced up, face dusted with a blush that could very well have been a shadow instead.

But it was nothing compared to the flush that crossed Logan's face when Patton leaned his head on his shoulder. They hadn't been that close in a long time.

Then, so quietly that Logan nearly missed it, Patton mumbled. "I'll miss you."

The soft, warm feeling engulfed his heart entirely. But this time, Logan knew better than to try and put it out.

~~~~~~~

Eventually, Patton had sobered up to the point that he was sheepish when regarding the whole event. It really became clear that he was back to his right mind when he saw the text from Janus and started panicking.

With some sink water from an open bathroom and a few sprays of cologne, the two successfully managed to get rid of the smell of alcohol. Or at least mask it enough to make it unrecognizable.

Eventually, Logan and Patton had done all they could and waited outside the school for Janus and Virgil to arrive and take them home. The dance had been hectic enough without staying for the remaining hour. And neither of them were the type to leave school grounds.

So instead they stood in silence until Janus's black van pulled up next to the curb.

"This is me." Patton said quietly, avoiding Logan's eyes. He'd been a bit off ever since the library.

Logan nodded, "Indeed." There was a pause but Patton still didn't get in the car.

Finally, he said, "Thanks for everything tonight. If it had been any of my other friends...well..."

He trailed off and Logan felt a small pulse of resentment towards Patton's "friends". They didn't know what their actions made Patton feel. Partially because he didn't show it and partially because they didn't care enough to ask.

If that was friendship then what had Patton been to Logan all those years ago? Or Roman to Remy? The two that always listened to whatever was bothering the other. Or Virgil to Emile? An unlikely pair that was compatible all the same, their quirks enriching the friendship even more.

Logan struggled to stop himself from saying this all to Patton. It was not his choice who the other chose to befriend. He did not control him.

So instead, he just smiled and said, "Of course."

Patton continued to watch Logan, as if trying to read his expression. When he seemed to find nothing, he smiled back.

Then, without warning, he stood on his tippy toes and planted a gentle peck on Logan's cheek. When he drew back, they were both blushing bright red. Patton diverted his gaze, "See you, Lo." He said, his smile much wider than before. Then he turned around and quickly got in the car.

Logan stood there, stuck in place, until the car drove away. And well past that.

He finally unfroze when a car honked at him. Virgil motioned at him from the window, looking amused at his brother's blank expression.

Still in a daze, Logan walked over and got inside, shutting the door behind him. "Hey, nerd. Did you have a good time?" Virgil asked lightly.

Logan didn't reply, staring out the window.

Virgil waited for about a minute before starting to drive, not commenting on Logan's strange silence. It wasn't the first time something like that had happened. Where Logan got so wrapped up in his own mind he became a robot. Still; this fact didn't stop Virgil from worrying.

So after a while, he tried again. Clearing his throat, he tried not to let his worry seep into his tone, "Well, at least now it's over with. You have my permission to go to that camp thing."

Surprisingly, Logan answered this time. But it wasn't exactly the answer Virgil was expecting. "No."

Virgil blinked, "Uh, what? You've been bothering me about it for weeks! Why are you backing out now?"

He looked over at his younger brother and saw the smallest trace of a smile on his face. Logan leaned his head against the cold window and thought about three words mumbled in an empty library. I'll miss you.

The smile got a bit wider. "No reason." Logan said, "I would just miss everyone over the holidays."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N   
> Awwwwww~  
> I gave myself cavities writing that!   
> And a new achievement for me: almost no angst!!!!!  
> (Almost)  
> I hope you guys enjoyed this fluffy chapter, even if it was a bit late lol  
> See you next week!
> 
> DON'T DIE!
> 
> ~Prongs💙💙💙


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